The Heart of a Nobody
by Tsukisamu Sayako
Summary: Roxas is said to be the perfect Nobody-unfeeling and dedicated only to serving his master. But his master, Prince Sora of Destiny Islands, is determined to change that. What does it mean to have a heart, especially as a Nobody? AU Sora/Roxas
1. The Life of Roxas

**Prologue – The Life of Roxas**

* * *

They say that being a Nobody is the best thing that could happen to a servant. The prospect of serving only one single aristocrat is better than serving an entire family of snobby nobles. Yet, being a Nobody is not as glamorous as some may think. Sure, they may have an easier time working for only one person rather than a family of people; the Nobodies are the most pathetic group of people one could imagine.

You see, Nobodies are trained from birth to shed their emotions and to behave with only one purpose in life: to protect and serve the man (or woman) they are assigned to serve. Years of training in combat, servitude, and hardship had broken the spirits of even the strongest willed child alive. Nobodies do not feel and are not truly alive. To have emotions even as a child would mean further discipline and potential death. No one who is to become a Nobody can leave the training until they have become complete Nobodies.

Why is that, you ask? Why, the Nobodies look so similar to their masters (or mistresses) that to let them live would bring shame to the aristocrats. To see a familiar face of a noble in servitude never sat well with the nobility. As such, a child of servitude who resembled a noble always resulted in the death of the child, either physically or spiritually.

That is the case with Roxas.

Born into a family of six in Twilight Town, Roxas was known to become a Nobody. His bright blue eyes and gravity-defying hair were the trademarks of a well-known babe not yet a year old in the nearby kingdom of Destiny Islands. His parents knew, the rulers of Twilight Town knew, and the rulers of Destiny Islands knew. And it is because of these trademarks that Roxas was taken away from his parents before he was but a year old to become a Nobody.

Before he was five years old, Roxas had already learned the ways of a servant.

By the time he was ten, Roxas had been broken spiritually.

By the time he was eleven, Roxas had learned how to stay in the shadows.

By the time he was thirteen, Roxas had learned how to act like Sora.

By the time he was fourteen, Roxas had learned how to handle a sword much like that of Sora's.

And it was when he was fourteen that his life changed, but we'll get to that soon.

At The Castle That Never Was, Roxas had met several other Nobodies. Of course, as he was a Nobody, he didn't care about the other Nobodies. The other Nobodies didn't care about him either.

The first Nobody he met was Axel, a teen older than him who was practically the mirror image of Lord Reno of Midgar. He often worked with Larxene, the Nobody of Lady Elena, also of Midgar. The only reason why those two Nobodies trained together was because they were to server under the same court, coincidentally.

Both of them left before Roxas had turned twelve.

Another Nobody he met was Naminé, a ghostly image of Princess Kairi of Radiant Garden. She too was emotionless and well-trained in the skills as a Nobody. Ironically, despite her younger age than Roxas, she had left to serve Kairi before Roxas was fourteen.

Roxas knew where they went, but he never knew where they came from. Not that he cared of course.

Everyday, he went through the same training, being constantly reminded of his position. It was a wonder that Roxas didn't grow to resent the same people who oppressed him. Yet, it was the only way of life that he knew and he continued to live everyday in hardship.

So when his primary trainer announced shortly after his fourteenth birthday that he was to leave The Castle That Never Was, he acknowledged the fact and continued to live the day like he normally do. Everyone said he was the perfect Nobody, and maybe he was, with his apathetic personality.

No one can stay perfect forever. No one can stay the same forever. And if Roxas had truly preferred his life as a Nobody, then he should've never left The Castle That Never Was.

* * *

The sun had not risen yet when Roxas was already awake. He went through his predawn routine with ease, having done them for the fourteen years he's lived at The Castle That Never Was.

It wasn't long before he completed his self-appointed tasks and exited his room to break his fast with the other Nobodies in training. Out of habit, Roxas was always one of the earliest people to arrive at the small dining hall. Two long tables enough for twenty people stood side by side in the dreary rectangular room.

He sat down at his usual place and closed his eyes to meditate, not bothering to greet the other Nobodies. After all, he reasoned, what was the point of greeting someone you don't care about?

"Morning, Roxas," came a soft tenor voice void of emotions. The blond-haired Nobody opened his eyes and saw another blond-haired teen not much older than himself: Demyx.

"Morning, Demyx," he replied offhandedly, closing his eyes again.

Demyx was an odd Nobody in that the one who he was supposed to serve had unfortunately died in a freak drowning accident. When asked if the king and queen would like to still take Demyx in, they refused on the basis that it was still too painful to be reminded of their lost son. Demyx, who knew nothing of this, remained "blissfully" ignorant of his future.

Within a few minutes of Demyx's arrival in the dining hall, the rest of the Nobodies filed into the room silently, muttering mornings out of habit and not out of actual compassion. They sat down in their respective seats before standing up simultaneously and moving through a small doorway into the adjacent kitchen, where a hearth-fire burned brightly.

Without another word, each Nobody went about to their individual tasks in preparation for their own breakfast. Roxas was delegated to preparing bread along with three other Nobodies while Demyx was assigned to the task of preparing oatmeal. The room was silent of chatter; the only noise that echoed through the warm room was the pounding of dough, bubbling of oatmeal, sizzling of meats, and general cooking sounds. Anyone who didn't know of the Nobodies would've thought that these servants were well disciplined and be impressed by the scene. To everyone else, they would've expected such a strange sight.

By the time the sun began to rise, the Nobodies had finished cooking their meal and were moving the dishes to the dining hall, where the four trainers of the Nobodies sat. The tables were quickly set and everything was ready.

The Nobodies sat quietly while the masters of the Castle eyed each one of them. Without sparing one more glance at any of their "students", the four began their meal and the Nobodies broke their fast.

After breakfast, Roxas returned to his quarters since the task of cleaning up was always delegated to the newest five Nobodies that arrived at the Castle. Before he got a chance to leave his room for the day's training and such, the door to his small room opened to reveal the solemn face of Zexion, yet another Nobody still in training. Roxas watched the man as he stepped into the room soundlessly. He held out a letter with Roxas's name written on it in an elegant script and watched as Roxas accepted the letter.

"Good luck," he muttered flatly, pivoting on the balls of his feet to leave the room without waiting for a response.

Roxas opened the letter and scanned through its contents quickly. He put the letter back into the envelope and laid it on top of his bag that had been filled with the meager belongings he had. He then picked the bag up and left the room. He walked through the hallways and out the main gate of the Castle without so much a good-bye to the other Nobodies whom he passed by.

A ship was waiting for him at the dock and the captain seemed to not care whether his last passenger was late or not. He needed not worry about his schedule because the Nobodies have been trained to be punctual at all times. Shortly prior to the departure time, Roxas boarded the ship and made his way to an empty seat, bowing when the captain acknowledged him.

With that began Roxas's journey to the Destiny Islands, to the life of the Nobody of Prince Sora.

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: Yet the start of another fanfic… I don't actually have any idea where I'm going with this just yet, so I'm just making up things as I go along. Haha._


	2. Your Highness, Meet Roxas

_To Reviewers of Prologue:_

_Dark-ranmaru – Haha, I don't know if this will be better than _The Universe of Sora Kazano_ series, but I'll do my best. Thanks._

_Gir is awesome – Thanks for the support. Glad to know that you like the Nobodies too._

_Haretikers – Yeah, I know how it's like to read a fanfic that sounds pretty interesting but it takes too long to get updated. I'll do my best to update at maybe a weekly basis. Thanks for the support._

* * *

**Chapter 1 – Your Highness, Meet Roxas**

* * *

Destiny Islands were in a state of celebration on this lovely summer day when Roxas were to join his Somebody. Last minute preparations in the town were getting completed as people rushed about with happiness. They were all eager to look their best for the night's festivities in the Castle. After all, Prince Sora's birthday ball was an extravaganza that was accessible for all denizens of the Islands. For this reason, not one unhappy face could be seen.

Within the Castle, preparations for the night's festivities continued with excitement. Servants bustled here and there with only perfection in mind as they moved dishes from place to place and cleaned up each crook and cranny in the stone castle.

Of course, Prince Sora was not idle while all this was going on. He stood in the main banquet hall overseeing the placement of flowers, decorations, and all things necessary for his own birthday ball. His radiant smiles and encouraging words motivated even the slowest moving servants to get everything done on time and with perfection.

"Sora," called out his mother as she and her husband entered the large banquet hall. Servants quickly stopped what they were doing and showed their respect to their benevolent monarchs. Sora pouted as his parents walked over to him, making no move to let the servants to continue their tasks.

"Mother, Father," he said, bowing with respect as well. His father chuckled softly before waving his hand to let the servants go about their business.

"Sora, shouldn't you go relax, have some fun?" he asked with amusement, watching as Sora looked about him to check that things were going smoothly and to his satisfaction. The brown-haired boy blinked at his father as he acknowledged the question.

"Huh?" he replied rather dumbly. His face flushed red with embarrassment as he realized how stupid he must've sounded just a second before.

His mother laughed cheerfully while his father shook his head with amusement at him.

"Leave the rest of the preparation to the servants. You need not oversee their activities for fear of imperfection, Sora. I would say that you might be giving them more stress by staying here."

Sora's eyes widened with surprise as he looked about him at the numerous servants that rushed past him carrying foodstuffs, silverwares, and whatnots. He looked upon their faces and saw nervousness reflected within the clear eyes despite the smiles. He frowned at the thought and dropped his head. The Queen smiled benignly and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Let things be and go get ready. Prince Riku and Princess Kairi will be arriving shortly." Sora gasped with realization.

"How could I have forgotten!?" he chastised himself. "Thank you, mother. Father." He bowed again before rushing out the room to prepare for the arrival of his best friends from other kingdoms: Prince Riku of Twilight Town and Princess Kairi of Radiant Garden.

The two monarchs watched as Sora flew out of the room with excitement when the captain of the guards came up to them.

"Sir, _he_ is here," he informed them quietly. The King smiled and looked at his wife, who also smiled peacefully.

"Where is he?" asked the Queen.

"He's in the waiting room beside the audience chamber. I had surmised that you wished to meet with him?"

"Yes, yes. Of course," said the King. The two then followed the captain of the guards out of the banquet room and quickly made their way to the waiting room.

When they laid their eyes upon the blond-haired Nobody, they were surprised by the gravity-defying hair the Nobody sported. They were unable to properly see his face for his movements were so fast that he had already knelt down in respect upon their appearance.

"Your majesties," he said in a tenor voice, deeper than that of their sons, but fairly similar.

"Rise," said the King as he and his wife approached him. The Nobody obeyed the command and stood up but kept his face slightly bowed.

"Look at me," said the Queen. Slowly, blond-haired Nobody raised his head and opened his eyes to reveal a pair of clear ice blue eyes. He saw smiles on the two rulers' faces and could only surmise they believed that he was accepted as Sora's Nobody.

"Looks just like Sora," said the Queen with a faint smile. The King nodded.

"Sora is fortunate," the King added. "Now, let's go to Sora."

He knelt down with a "Yes, your majesty" before standing up and following the two royal figures from the room.

* * *

Meanwhile, Sora was in his room getting changed into the formalwear that he was to wear for his birthday. He shed the warm green jacket and the cream-colored shirt, glad that the weather at Destiny Islands was always warm. With help from a servant, he put on the white silk shirt with frills, the navy blue jacket trimmed with gold thread, and finally a red sash that made him felt like a beauty pageant contestant. The sash bore the emblem of Destiny Islands and, as the day was a Destiny Island holiday, he was required to wear it every year.

He looked at himself in the mirror, grinning at the familiar sight that reflected back. He always looked the same but different at the same time. He attributed the difference to the fact that he was still growing up, even though he felt like he's already known everything there is to know.

"You may leave," he said with a smile to the servant.

"Yes, your majesty," the servant said with a bow. The demure girl backed out of the room and closed the door behind her.

"I wish the servants would be livelier," the just-turned-fifteen year old prince said with a huff. He walked over to the French windows and looked down to the town that surrounded the castle. The bustle and hustle within the town simply added to his excitement for the day. His eyes scanned the horizon and settled upon a small island.

His eyes softened at the sight of the empty island, untouched for many months due to his status as the prince.

"Brings back memories, huh," he said softly with a wistful smile on his face. He daydreamed about his time with his parents on the island and was even allowed to take Riku and Kairi there every time they visited. But he had not been able to go lately even by himself due to his status as the next ruler of Destiny Islands. The brown-haired teen sighed upon the thought.

Knocks on the door snapped him out of his reverie and Sora turned to face the mahogany wooden doors with curiosity.

"Enter," he said and watched as a servant opened the door respectfully. His parents entered the room, much to Sora's surprise.

"Ah, Father, Mother," he greeted with a quick bow. "What's the matter? Did something happen?" He looked to their faces and was surprised to see no frowns or signs of grim news.

The king laughed. "No, nothing's the matter, Sora."

"We have a present for you," said the Queen with a smile.

"A present?" inquired Sora. "Isn't it a bit early?"

"Nonsense," said the king. He then turned to the still open door. "You may come in."

Sora looked to the open doorway and hitched his breath when a blond-haired teen entered. His spiky hair was enough to inform Sora the identity of this teen.

The blond-haired Nobody knelt down before the prince and bowed his head before raising it to allow his Somebody to see his face.

"Your Highness," he greeted. "My name is Roxas. I am your Nobody."

Sora could only look into the clear blue eyes of his Nobody and gasp with shock at the sight of the handsome young man.

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: This one has got to be the shortest chapter I've ever written thus far for a multi-chapter story. Meh. In any case, I've a basic idea how I'm going to go about this now, but all the details and the specifics are still under the works. Hope this was enough to tide you over until I post the next update and/or when I finally get around finishing up the first two chapters of _The Intrigues of Sora Kazano_. As usual, comments or questions are more than welcome._


	3. A Party and Familiar Faces

_To Reviewers of Chapter 1:_

_Wozza16: Thanks for the compliment. I'm still tweaking out how I'm going to plot this story out. Hopefully it'll be interesting. Good to know that you'd like to review _Melancholy_, hehe._

_DarkDeSkull: Interesting. Hope this fic won't turn out to disappoint you then!_

_Earth2water1element: It's okay that you didn't review chapter 1, don't feel bad about it. And I wonder what'll happen next too! Haha._

_Haretikers: Well, I wouldn't know if Riku and Kairi will get jealous if Sora's too focused on Roxas… Even though they are best friends, they don't actually spend a lot of time together in these last few years because of their duties to their kingdoms. And I will try to make the chapters longer._

_Dark-ranmaru: Thanks for the compliment as well. I'm going to do my best to not follow the common trends of fanfics._

_No dang name is available: Yup, a new story. Do look forward to a new story in the next week or two once I finish up _Marble Doll_._

_Gir is awesome!: Well, technically it's chapter 1. Unfortunately, doesn't allow for prologues, so I guess it's chapter 2, haha._

* * *

**Chapter 2 – A Party and Familiar Faces**

* * *

For the rest of the hour prior to Riku and Kairi's arrival, Sora could only steal glances at his Nobody as they ventured through the Castle grounds in silence. The prince fidgeted with his sash and wondered why he was feeling this way toward a stranger, albeit a stranger who looked very similar to himself.

"Your Highness, is there something that's bothering you?" the blond-haired teen inquired tonelessly.

"Uh, nothing," said Sora, looking straight forward and hoping that his cheeks weren't flushed with embarrassment. They had entered the small royal garden in the inner courtyard and were now strolling amongst the tropical flowers and watery landscape.

"Roxas, where do you come from?" asked Sora as he stopped to look at a small waterfall splashing into a small pool of water.

"The World That Never Was, your Highness," replied Roxas simply.

"You were born there?"

"No, your Highness, but I lived there for the majority of my life. I do not remember where I had come from and I do not remember my own parents."

"Were you happy at the World That Never Was?" asked the prince with a small frown visible on his face.

"I do not understand."

"Were you happy? Did you like living at the World That Never Was?"

"Nobodies do not feel, your Highness. The World That Never Was has no emotional significance in my life. I lived there only to become a Nobody."

"I see," said Sora softly before moving on through the courtyard. He stopped when a guard came up to him and saluted.

"Your Highness, the Prince of Twilight Town and the Princess of Radiant Garden have arrived," he reported.

"I see. Take me to them."

"Of course, your Highness." The two then followed the guard to one of the few music rooms in the castle. Upon entering into the bright, spacious room, Sora hurried over to his friends and embraced them eagerly. Roxas followed in silently and closed the door behind him, blinking with acknowledgement at the other Nobody within this room.

"Riku, Kairi, I missed you. Was your journey difficult?"

Kairi shook her head. "It was pleasant enough."

"Same with my own journey. I've forgotten how hot it gets here, too!" Riku laughed.

"Speak for yourself, Riku. Radiant Garden's colder than Twilight Town," Kairi said with a small smile.

"Shall I order some Paopu juice for us?" asked Sora.

"Sure," replied Riku as Kairi nodded. The prince of Destiny Islands turned to face Roxas, who nodded solemnly before leaving the room.

"So that's Roxas," said Riku softly.

"You know Roxas?" asked Sora with surprise.

"Sort of," said Riku with a slight frown. "Our records indicated that he was from Twilight Town before he went to The World That Never Was to train as a Nobody."

"Naminé," said Kairi softly. "Do you know Roxas?"

"Yes, your Majesty," replied the princess's Nobody with a faint smile. "I know him."

Sora turned to finally notice the presence of Naminé in the room. He looked from her to Kairi and back again with surprise.

"Naminé's your Nobody?" he asked. Kairi nodded.

"She came to me around six months ago?"

"Yes, your Majesty. It was six months and thirteen days exactly."

"Do you like The World That Never Was?" asked Sora.

"I do not have an opinion of the place," replied Naminé. "It was but a place of training."

"That's what Roxas said too," muttered Sora. He was starting to really dislike this place called The World That Never Was.

Roxas reentered the room bearing a silver tray. On the tray was a full carafe of Paopu juice and three empty glasses. Having carried trays all his life, the blond-haired Nobody easily removed the contents of the tray with one hand while balancing the tray still on his other.

He placed the carafe onto the only table in the room and the glasses in front of the three chairs. Without stopping to adjust the tray that was in his hand, he poured the ice cold Paopu juice into the three glasses. Upon the fulfillment of his task, he backed away and allowed the three royal members to sit down.

Sora was amazed by the skill Roxas had. Not once had the Nobody slowed to make sure that he hadn't spilled the drinks or to make sure that the drinks were fine. He had done everything to perfection; even the water levels in each glass were the same. The prince could only wonder how on the world Roxas was able to do it.

The three royal princes and princess drank from their glasses with happiness while the two Nobodies stood just ten feet behind their respective masters.

"They're amazing, aren't they?" asked Kairi as she placed her glass down on the coaster.

"But they're never sad, never happy," said Sora with a frown.

"They just need some reminding," said Kairi with a smile. Sora blinked with surprise at the suggestion.

"What do you mean?" inquired Sora with curiosity.

"They're like us," she replied. "Human. They've just been deprived of the need to show their emotions."

"I see." Sora dared a glance at the solemn Nobody who stood behind his chair while Riku and Kairi both looked at the prince with understanding. They knew that Sora was too caring for his own good; all they could do was to pray that Sora would live through the rest of his life unscathed with Roxas nearby.

The distant flutter of wings beating against the air near the open window drew the three's attention away and cheers rang out in the distant township.

The festival had begun.

* * *

The rest of the day passed quickly and soon the banquet began. Rulers from all over the world sent their children to join the festivities and Sora knew each and every one of them: Lady Elena and Lord Reno of Midgar, Prince Leon of Traverse Town, and more. Some of them had Nobodies who stayed in the shadows, while others came with their lovers and fiancés. Sora could only be glad to see his long time friends and allies of Destiny Islands.

"Roxas," he called out softly to his Nobody as he ate his meal. "Won't you take part in the festivities? There are plenty of servants about."

"My apologies, your Highness. It is my duty to serve you at all times. You cannot wish for me to go against my role as your Nobody," said Roxas quietly. Sora frowned and nodded solemnly.

"Take it slowly, Sora," said Kairi softly. "He just arrived from the Castle That Never Was, right? His training is still too deeply ingrained in his mind for him to start feeling."

"I wish life was easy."

"Life's never easy," grinned Riku.

"Oh, how long are you two staying?"

"I can stay for a week," said Riku. "I wish to head to the Island again."

Sora grinned widely. "You, Kairi?"

"It will have to depend on Leon's travel plans. My parents wish for me to visit Traverse Town's academy on my way back to Radiant Garden."

"I see," said Sora with a slight frown. "I'll talk to Leon try to delay his departure as best as I can." He smirked, earning a giggle from the princess.

Sora looked about the room at the distinct Nobodies that stood behind their masters and mistresses in the dimmed areas of the banquet hall. Larxene stood next to Axel behind their masters under some velvet red drapes. Kadaj stood just behind his master's chair, undoubtedly listening in on a conversation that Prince Sephiroth of Northern Crater was engaged in. Lastly, Aeris stood silently behind her mistress and her fiancé just a table to the right of Sora.

It suddenly dawned on Sora that before Roxas had came, he had thought nothing about the Nobodies. But now that he had a Nobody of his own, he wondered which cruel man started the traditions of Nobodies.

"Sora, you look glum," laughed Riku as he nudged his friend on the side. "How can the birthday boy be so glum!?"

"Riku, stop teasing him," replied Kairi, even though she also had a twinkle of amusement in her eyes. Sora huffed.

"You want to tease me too," he pointed out with a mock frown.

"It can't be helped, right Kairi?" Selphie smiled. Sora smirked at that before his ears picked up a familiar strain of music. His eyes widened to hear his favorite dance song being played.

"Kairi, dance with me?" he asked with a wide grin.

"Anything to make you look more cheery!" she replied. "Come on, you two," she pulled on the arms of Riku and Selphie, "let's go dance with Sora."

They all laughed with cheer before joining the throng of dancers on the polished wooden floor.

All the while, Roxas and Naminé kept their never-ending watch over their respective master and mistress.

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: To be quite honest, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of feedback I received for the previous chapter. I just hope that I don't disappoint you guys in the long run. Your reviews are much appreciated._

_This chapter was unfortunately still on the short side… But it can't be helped. I promise that the upcoming chapters will be longer. I'll also be frank; originally I had planned for this fanfic to involve a long adventure for Sora to battle evil with Roxas at his side, but after realizing that I couldn't come up with a logical, interesting plot for that, I've decided to scrap that idea so I can focus more on the relationship between Sora and Roxas. To say more would be spoiling the plot somewhat, haha._

_Lastly, I'm going to update this fanfic whenever I get the chapter done rather than write two chapters, finish the second chapter, then post the first one (which I did for _Melancholy_). So hopefully, I would be more inclined to write faster rather than slower, haha._


	4. The Kids' Island

_To Reviewers of Chapter 2:_

_Gir is awesome: Well, I have a slight idea where I want to take this fic; you'll just have to stick around to see, hehe. And my pleasure for updating._

_Dark-ranmaru: I'm hoping that my stories won't be too similar or have similar plot devices. Thanks for the compliment._

_haretikers: I should probably explain this. I'm sure you know how originally Aerith was named Aeris in FF7. So I wanted to separate the two entities: the Aeris from FF7 and the official Aerith from KH/FF7. I think I made a bad decision in naming the Nobody Aeris, but I wanted to keep the names of the characters rather than introduce an outside name. Anyways, I do agree with the unfortunate fact that cures aren't found unless a celebrity has it... but what can you do when they're the poster"child"s of the disease? Heh._

_Sky91: Thanks for the compliments. I will do my best to continue this fic. This idea's been sitting around in my head for awhile of course, haha._

* * *

**Chapter 3 – The Kids' Island**

* * *

When Sora woke up the following day after his birthday celebration, he was more than surprised by the presence of Roxas. It appeared that the Nobody had been standing at his bedside waiting for him to wake up. He looked at the young face with scrutiny and pondered if the Nobody had slept that night at all.

"Good morning, your Highness," greeted Roxas monotonously. "Breakfast will be ready in thirty minutes. Do you wish to dine in your room or with your parents in the dining hall?"

"With my parents," replied Sora as he got out of his bed. "Will Riku and Kairi be there as well?"

"Yes, your Highness," replied Roxas as he moved to help dress the prince. With the Nobody's quick hands, the prince of Destiny Islands soon found himself wearing a pair of navy blue breeches and a comfortable beige shirt with blue frills. His polished black shoes clicked crisply against the marble floor as he walked down the hallway toward the dining hall; Roxas followed him closely behind.

Sora took a glance at the Nobody as they made their way down the staircase and kept an impassive face. The Nobodies were so different from the normal servants that used to serve him.

Where the other servants might be slightly clumsy in their tasks, Roxas completed them to no fault and efficiently. Yet, he knew that Nobodies were no source for gossip or news from the town. For that, Sora slightly resented the fact that he had a Nobody. He wished to know about the town and his people. Without contact with the rest of the Islands, Sora felt alone. Still, a part of him remained optimistic that the Nobodies could be as lively as the rest of the servants.

"Roxas," called out Sora clearly.

"Yes, your Highness?" inquired Roxas.

"Any news from the town?"

"No, sir," replied Roxas. "I do not leave the castle for mere gossip."

Sora frowned with a slight nod. "I knew it," he muttered with annoyance.

The pair continued their way to the dining hall in silence.

* * *

"How were your nights here?" asked Sora as he cut into a slice of ham on his plate, looking at Riku and Kairi who were seated across from him in the dining hall. At the table also sat Leon, Lady Mulan and Commander Shang of The Land of Dragon, Princess Aurora of Hollow Bastion, Prince Seifer of Balamb, and Princess Selphie of Trabia.

"It was pleasant," replied Lady Mulan, "thank you for your hospitality."

"No problem," smiled Sora.

"It's too bad we have to leave today," grinned Selphie, looking at Seifer then at Sora. "But duty calls."

Seifer nodded solemnly, eying Leon with a hint of distaste. Sora understood Seifer's slight hatred of the brown-haired man. After all, Leon had swept Princess Rinoa of Timber off her feet shortly after the breaking off of her own engagement with the prince of Balamb.

"When will you be leaving?" asked Sora.

"My ship has not arrived yet," said Selphie. "I surmise it would be later this morning if not this afternoon."

"I see."

"You don't have to see me off," she said with a laugh. "We will see each other again soon enough."

Prince Aurora laughed softly. "You just don't want to cry in front of everyone," she said with a knowing smile. Kairi and Riku both laughed at the comment and Selphie's face reddened with embarrassment.

"What about you, Leon?" asked Sora. "Have you thought about when you will be leaving?"

"I think I'll stick with my original plan and leave today," said Leon. Sora's heart fell upon hearing the statement. Leon looked at him with a smirk. "But, Kairi can stay for a couple of days. Her parents don't have to know that she didn't come with me."

The brown-haired teen looked over to the red-haired princess expectantly. Kairi, in the mean time, looked at Leon with worried eyes.

"Wouldn't your parents tell my parents that I didn't go with you?" she inquired with concern. Leon shook his head.

"They too believe that your parents are overprotective," he replied. "If somehow they found out, I'm sure Riku can accompany you to Traverse Town while he's on his way back."

"But Traverse Town is out of the way," said Kairi softly.

"It's fine," answered Riku. "I don't mind. I'd like to visit Traverse Town again anyways."

"So that's settled," said Leon. "You should have some fun while you're here." Kairi's face reddened like Selphie's had just a minute ago.

A guard entered the room and saluted the members of royalty.

"Your Highness," he reported, "His Majesty, Prince Seifer's ship is ready for departure."

"I'll take my leave then," the blond-haired man said tersely. "It was good to see you again, Sora. Thank you for your hospitality and I apologize for my abrupt departure."

"It was no problem," replied Sora. "Good to see you again."

"Good-bye, Seifer," said Selphie with a wave.

"Farewell," said Commander Shang as the others too waved at the prince. Seifer waved his good-bye and quickly left the room. Just as he left the room, the monarchs of Destiny Islands entered the room. Sora quickly stood up to greet them.

"Father, Mother, good morning."

"Good morning, Sora dear," said his Mother. Her eyes landed on Roxas, who stood demurely behind the prince and smiled happily.

"Sora, I hear you wish to go to the Kids' Island today?" asked his father as he and the queen took their seats at the table.

"Yes, Father," said Sora with a nod. "Riku and Kairi will come with me, with your permission."

"You have your own Nobody now," the king replied. "You no longer need our permission for small journeys such as this."

Sora blinked with surprise at his father than looked at Roxas, who remained unmoving in his spot. He frowned slightly at the thought that he would have no privacy now that he had a Nobody of his own.

"I see," he said softly. "Thank you, father."

"You should take the gods for providing you with a Nobody."

* * *

The beginning of the voyage from the main island to the Kids' Island was short and pleasant. The sea was calm and the air was crisp with sea salt. Sora took a deep breath of the slightly salty air and smiled widely.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?" said Kairi as she breathed in the crisp air as well.

"The last time we went to the Kids' Island was the day after your birthday like today," said Riku.

"Ahh," replied Sora. "I wonder if anything's changed."

"I hope not. I like the way the Island is," smiled Kairi.

"We should duel when we get to the Island," said Sora with a grin.

"With the wooden swords? We're not kids anymore, Sora," said Riku with a teasing smile as he ruffled the brown-haired teen's hair.

"What would you suggest then?"

Riku grinned widely and stretched his right arm out. A swirl of blackness manifested within his hand and elongated to form a black-red blade. Roxas recognized that blade from his studies of the Keyblades; it was the Way to the Dawn.

"With Keyblades, huh?" said Sora. "When'd you get it?"

"Last year," Riku replied, swinging the blade through the air in front of him. "You have one too, don't you?"

Sora nodded. "Of course." With that, a sparkle of white light manifested in his hand to reveal an elegant silver blade marked with blue and yellow. The wielder of the Ultima Keyblade set it on his shoulder before swinging the magnificent sword at Riku, who easily parried the swing. The two princes grinned at each other with fire in their eyes. Kairi could only hid her amused smile behind her hands as she watched her best friends rising up to their competitive spirits.

Meanwhile, Roxas and Naminé continued their tasks in navigating the small skiff toward the small island.

Soon, the two Nobodies sailed the skiff up to the small wooden dock and tied the boat to the dock. Roxas helped the three princes and princess off the skiff while Naminé further secured the skiff to the dock. She also retrieved a basket of food from the boat and followed her mistress onto the sandy beach of the Kids' Island. They walked across the white sand cheerfully and ran toward the wooden shack on the island.

Sora pulled out a rusty iron skeleton key that fit into the antique lock on the wooden door and unlocked the door, opening it to reveal familiar materials of the raft that they had planned to construct but never got around to building it. Set in front of the wooden logs were two wooden swords, well used but still in good condition. Beside the swords was a bucket full of chalk that had been used already with broken pieces and chalk dust settling on the bottom of the old bucket.

Kairi gave a quiet giggle and pulled out the bucket of chalk while Riku pulled out the two wooden swords.

"Want to go draw first?" suggested Kairi, "Or did you guys want to fight first?"

Sora and Riku looked at each other with grins on their faces. They turned back to Kairi, who shook her head with amusement.

The brown-haired teen linked his fingers and placed his palms on the back of his head. "Be our referee?"

"Alright, alright," the red-haired princess said and the three made their way back to the wooden dock, where Kairi sat down to watch the match. The two wooden swords sat next to her, the princes having decided to use their own Keyblades instead.

"No kicking, punching, or any sort of hand-to-hand combat allowed," Kairi said. "No tricks, now."

The two princes nodded without turning their eyes toward Kairi; the princess gave a soft snort before raising her hand with her handkerchief. She waved down with a shout. "Begin!"

Instantly, Riku dashed forward to Sora and brought his Keyblade down in a vertical arc. Sora quickly parried the attack with his Keyblade and deflected the attack to his left before swinging his own Keyblade rightward horizontally. The silver-haired teen quickly jumped back to avoid the slash and grinned.

In the meantime, Roxas watched with eyes that easily recognized the pattern of attack each prince utilized in their battle strategies. Riku, who held his Way to the Dawn Keyblade with one hand, obviously relied more upon agility and speed while Sora, who held his Ultima Keyblade with two hands, relied more upon power and strength. Yet still, Sora was agile considering his usage of the two-handed stance and Riku was powerful considering his usage with one hand.

Kairi took a glance at Roxas and then back at Sora. An idea came into her mind and she turned back to Roxas.

"Roxas, would you mind going back to the shack? I believe there is a map of the Island in there."

The blond-haired Nobody looked up at Sora and then back at Kairi.

"As Prince Sora's Nobody, I am obligated to stay at his side," he replied simply.

The princess frowned then turned to Naminé, who gave a short curtsey before rushing off gracefully to the shack to search for the map that her mistress had desired. The two other spectators returned their attention back to the duel just as Sora fell into the salty ocean with a splash. Roxas hurried over to his master and helped him out of the water.

"Cheater!" sputtered the brown-haired prince as he stood sopping wet on the other dock. Riku, in the meantime, had collapsed onto the sandy beach laughing uncontrollably.

"How can you say I cheated? You tripped," he replied after he controlled his laughter.

"We need to get you out of these wet clothes, your Highness," said Roxas. Sora sighed and nodded. Roxas then returned to the skiff and drew out a package wrapped in butcher paper and tied up with twine.

"We'll be back," said Sora as he walked towards the other visible building on the Island – a straw hut. As they departed from the area, Naminé returned bearing an old scroll tied up with a blue ribbon. She presented the map to Kairi and looked after the two teens.

"What happened?" she asked quietly. Kairi looked up from the unbound map and giggled.

"Sora fell into the water," replied Riku.

"Oh," a small smile appeared on Naminé's face. She looked back down at Kairi.

"What do you think about Roxas, Naminé? Truthfully."

"He's kind," the Nobody replied truthfully. "I didn't really get a chance to know him while I was at the Castle. I think he was the only one out of all of us who's truly lost his heart though."

"I see," said Kairi sadly. "Sora will have a hard time trying to bring Roxas back huh?"

"Yes," replied Naminé. "Roxas was so spirited too."

"He's never known about the rest of you guys who steal out of the Castle for some normalcy?" asked Riku.

Naminé shrugged. "I don't know. I think Axel's tried to get him to join us, but somehow it never happened. I think he knows, but he never cared."

"He's the _perfect_ Nobody."

* * *

After a relaxing lunch, the three along with the Nobodies found themselves in the Secret Spot with the bucket of chalk in Roxas's hands. They ended up in front of the numerous chalk drawings the trio of royalty had created and Sora blushed when he saw the childish drawing of himself handing a star-shaped item to a childish drawing of Kairi.

The newest addition to the royal motley crew watched blankly as the three heirs of their respective kingdoms began their chalk mural, starting with their individual pictures.

As the three continued with their mural, Roxas watched Naminé began her way deeper into the cave, looking at the various pictures drawn. The blond-haired boy turned his eyes back to his Somebody, who turned slightly to look at Roxas. He nodded silently and Roxas made his way over to the other Nobody, who was currently looking at a picture of a Keyblade.

"The Kingdom Key," muttered Roxas softly, recognizing the crown-shaped tooth of the giant key. He continued his way down the cave, looking at the chalk drawings of each Keyblade and softly said the name of each blade to himself.

"Sweet Memories… Hidden Dragon… Star Seeker… Rumbling Rose… Sleeping Lion… Decisive Pumpkin… Guardian Soul… 13 Mushroom… Fenrir… Ultima Weapon." He stilled upon seeing two familiar images beside the "Bond of Flame" Keyblade.

"Oathkeeper and Oblivion," he blinked.

"Those are your Keyblades, are they not?" inquired Naminé softly. The boy turned and nodded silently at the former. They turned their attention back to the images and Naminé smiled softly as she looked at Roxas's bewilderment. Suddenly, both Nobodies tensed as they sensed a strange presence near them.

Sora's Nobody summoned Oblivion in his right hand with a swirl of darkness and slowly turned around to see several strange blobs beginning to emerge from the shadows of the darkened cave. Yellow circles glowed unnaturally.

"Heartless," whispered Naminé. She then rushed back to the three royal heirs while Roxas stood between the Shadows and the Somebodies.

His eyes scanned the shadows in front of him and found some ten pairs of glowing eyes peering back at him hungrily. Then, all of a sudden, a Heartless lunged at the Nobody and he quickly sidestepped the attack before spinning to bring his Keyblade across a second Heartless that followed. He then quickly turned to face the first Heartless and thrust the obsidian Keyblade into the body of the shadow creature. Both Heartless exploded with white light before dissipating into clouds of black dust.

Roxas huffed triumphantly before summoning the Oathkeeper Keyblade in a flash of light. He twirled the silvery Keyblade in his hand and lunged headfirst into the mass of Shadow Heartless that faced him. The two Keyblades made quick work of the Heartless as he slashed diagonally across the air in front of him. He remained still with a blank face before closing his eyes as the Heartless dissipated into dust. A clear sound of metal against metal snapped his attention back to the royal heirs, who were engaged in a battle with Neo Shadows.

The blond-haired Nobody prepared himself to join the battle when Sora and Riku grinned at each other and waved their Keyblades through the air, releasing a whirlwind that easily battered the nearest Heartless. The magical attack continued with Keyblades slicing vertically around them before they tossed up their Keyblades for a final attack that filled the entire cave with white light.

Roxas shielded his eyes from the bright light and struggled to see what was happening. When the light receded, the cave was empty save for the five teens. Sparkles from the two princes' combined attack lit the area.

"Show off," jested Kairi.

"Are you hurt, your Highness?" inquired Roxas monotonously as he scanned across the body of his master.

"I'm fine, Roxas," replied Sora. Roxas's eyes confirmed the statement as they picked up no visible injuries on the surface. "Even if I did get a scratch, I'll live."

"Very well, your Highness," replied the blond-haired Nobody. Sora frowned deeply at the lack of emotions in the Nobody's voice. He wondered if the man cared for anything at all.

"Perhaps it'd be best to return to the main island," suggested Naminé softly. Her mistress nodded.

"It's been a long day," she added. "It was fun to visit this island, but I would like to visit the town sometimes today too."

"Alright, let's go back," said Sora. He pivoted on the balls of his feet and was about to take a step when Riku laid a hand on his shoulder. The prince of Destiny Islands looked up at his friend, who smiled weakly at him.

"You have to get used to it," commented Riku. "Be patient."

Sora's shoulders visibly slumped, knowing perfectly well that he couldn't hide his irritations from either one of his best friends.

"What say you to another round of dueling when we get back? We'll use foils this time and I won't cheat," he grinned.

Sora's eyes sparkled with his love of competition. "You're on."

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: So, as promised, here's a longer chapter. In fact, it's at least twice as long as each of the previous chapters, haha. And oh gosh, I hope I'm not going to take a really long time to update. But between upcoming tests and _Intrigues_, it might take me two weeks to get the next chapter out. I apologize in advance and will try to make the next chapter longer and well worth your wait (I hope)._


	5. Beginning of a Journey

_To reviewers of chapter 3:_

_Gir is Awesome!: Haha, thanks a lot for the support._

_Haretikers: Well, you're probably right about Sora not being patient, but at the same time, Sora's got to have some decorum. He's the prince of Destiny Islands! Hehe. Also, your reviews have more stuff I can respond to, hence the longer review response. XD_

_Dark-ranmaru: Thanks for the compliment. I'm hoping that the story will get better and better as it goes on too. X3_

_cyne: Thanks a bunches. I do pride myself in trying to think up original concepts that would interest my readers. I hope the future chapters won't disappoint you._

* * *

**Chapter 4 – Beginning of a Journey**

* * *

"Hyah!"

"Yoooo!"

The sound of metal clashing and unorthodox battle cries filled the air as the two princes battled it out on an enclosed platform. Sweat dripped down each of their faces as they had been deadlocked for the past hour.

The dulled steel swords glinted under the afternoon sun. The two princes both were panting with exertion, but neither one was about to step down from the battle.

Sora took a step to the right as Riku took a step to the left. He adjusted his grip on the broadsword and grinned with excitement as the fight dragged on.

On the side, Kairi shook her head in amusement once again as the two continued their battle. Naminé looked on with twinkling eyes, while Roxas simply watched.

It wasn't long before the two teens lunged forward at one another once again. A slash, a parry, and a dodge later, the two ended up on opposite sides once again.

Kairi sighed. "How long are you two going to drag this out until?" she said with a huff. Of course, she couldn't keep a straight face as the corners of her lips twitched upward.

"We'll be done soon!" said Riku.

"And how long would that be?" she jested.

"Soon!" replied Sora as he lunged forward again, brining his broadsword downward in a vertical arc. Riku dodged to once side and brought his sword up to block the quick horizontal slash Sora performed immediately afterward. He skidded to a halt near the edge of the platform as he felt the power behind Sora's attack.

"That was close…" Riku said softly as he looked behind him.

"You let your guard down!" shouted Sora with a laugh as he slashed again at Riku. The silver-haired teen cursed internally as he parried Sora's attack, but his footing was off and he fell off the platform in a glorious heap.

"Oof," he grunted, lying on his back on the dirt ground with his long sword forgotten next to him.

"I win!" cheered Sora as he jumped into the air pumping his fist.

"Man, I'm getting soft," muttered Riku as he sat up.

"Or maybe you don't want to admit that Sora's getting better," suggested Kairi with a smile.

"Nah, I got lucky," said Sora, sniffing triumphantly.

"Ugh, I want a bath now," said Riku. "I feel grimy."

"Me too."

"Get cleaned up and let's go into town tonight," said Kairi.

"Alright."

* * *

Sora sighed as he settled into the bubble bath that Roxas had drawn up for him in the royal bathing pool. Nearby, Riku was also relaxing in the bath. While Roxas sat on a stood behind him, ready to help the prince get cleaned up, another servant sat ready for Riku.

The princes both sighed with relief and comfort as hands ran through their dusty hair with soap. The massaging hands soothed the scalp and reminded Sora of how his mother used to do the same when he was much younger. However, the tender touches also brought up the thoughts of Roxas. How could an uncaring person be so gentle?

He forced back a frown.

As the bath continued, Roxas continued the massaging touches, unknotting the many muscles that Sora had strained while fighting against Riku. Sora bit back a moan as the massage continued; he was enjoying this way too much.

At the conclusion of the bath, both princes were dried down and dressed in the evening's fineries. Just in time as the orange sun touched the horizon.

"Ready?" grinned Riku as he looked at Sora, who was shrugging his shoulders to adjust his jacket.

"Let's go," the prince of Destiny Islands replied.

* * *

That following morning, Sora opened his eyes to see Roxas standing next to his bed once again. He was still slightly unsettled by the constant presence of Roxas, but he has gradually become accustomed to the silent Nobody awaiting his orders the minute he opened his eyes. And thus, without any words, he got up and got changed with Roxas's assistance.

"Roxas, what do you think about Riku and Kairi?" he dared a question.

"It is not in a Nobody's nature to have opinions, your Highness," replied Roxas blandly.

"Are you using your position as an excuse to avoid my question?" asked Sora with a frown.

Roxas blinked a few times in response. "No, your Highness. I… just hadn't thought about them much." The slight hesitation in Roxas's answer brought a slight smile to Sora's face.

"Well, if you're going to be my Nobody, you had better start formulating some opinions of your own. I also want you to go and find out gossip from the town in the morning."

"Your Highness, it is my duty to protect and serve you at all times. You cannot ask for me to leave your side-"

"By going into the town and listening to the townspeople's concerns would be serving me well. I am capable of handling myself while I stay in the castle. I do not require your assistance at all times." He looked at Roxas with determination. "Is that understood?"

"Yes, your Highness," Roxas replied with a bow. "I understand. I shall begin my daily rounds in town starting tomorrow. When shall I report to you?"

"Eleven would be fine," replied Sora as he went on his way toward the dining hall.

"Very well, your Highness."

With his back facing Roxas, Sora allowed himself a smile; he knew that he had just managed to at least make a chip in the otherwise usually stoic Nobody.

"Can you sing, Roxas?" he asked out of the blue.

"Sing, your Highness?" asked Roxas.

"You know, carry a tune?"

"I can sing, your Highness."

"Anything else you can to that's interesting?"

"I do not understand."

Sora stopped to look at his Nobody. "Something that you find enjoyment doing?"

"We do not have hobbies if that's what you're inquiring."

"Then how do you know how to sing?"

"It was part of my training."

"I see." Sora scowled slightly. The training that Nobodies endured sure has everything covered.

"Your Highness?" inquired Roxas, snapping Sora out of his reverie.

"It's nothing. I shall have to ask for you to sing for me one of these days."

"As you wish, your Highness."

* * *

For the rest of the week, Sora spent as much time as he could with Kairi and Riku, strolling through the ruins of a distant island where the first monarch of Destiny Islands had originally settled down.

As the days passed by, however, Sora thought more and more about the Nobodies. Roxas's constant presence urged the prince to try to elicit feelings from the emotionless teen; but beyond the slight show of confusion, he has had zero success.

His frustrations with his lack of progress brought him to seek the advice of the famed traveling scholar, Merlin the wizard.

On this particular afternoon, the pair walked down the corridor toward the inner courtyard for afternoon tea; Roxas followed closely behind. His footsteps were silent and Sora wouldn't have noticed that someone was following them if he hadn't known that Roxas would stay with him at all times.

Sora took a glance at his Nobody then turned his attention to the elderly old man.

"Merlin, do you know who was the one who created the Nobodies?" asked Sora.

"Curious about them now that you have your own Nobody now, eh?" inquired Merlin with a chuckle. The prince nodded silently.

"The term 'Nobody' was originally given to the twin brother of the king of Hollow Bastion, now known as Radiant Garden. Back in the days of the Hollow Bastion, only one man could become king. To have another person looking exactly like the king of Hollow Bastion would be scandalous for the royal family. As a result, the poor younger twin was reduced to the role of a servant who constantly served the king. The man responsible for training the servant was called 'Xehanort'."

"Xehanort…" said Sora softly.

"Yes. Now Xehanort himself was an orphan but managed to rise in stature to become the head of household for the royal family of Hollow Bastion. He was an ambitious man and soon sought out to spread this ideal throughout the world to other kingdoms. Many kingdoms readily agreed, fearing the scandalous rumors that might spread if another person was found to look exactly as themselves. Others were reluctant, yet they too desired to avoid the rumors that may scar the reputation of their royal lives."

"That's why the Castle That Never Was was built, right?"

"The Castle That Never Was is built upon a most inhospitable island also known as the World That Never Was. It is bitter cold during the night and scorching hot during the day. It is located beyond the End of the World and held mysteries known only to the Nobodies."

"Has anyone besides Nobodies been to the World That Never Was?"

"Of course," replied Merlin, stroking his beard with a chuckle. "A couple daring merchants will still sail that way to do business with the Nobodies that inhabit the island. Nobodies are still human after all. And they can't possibly grow everything on their own on the World That Never Was."

"Do Nobodies have emotions?" asked Sora softly.

Merlin looked down at the teen with a kind smile. He stopped and laid a comforting hand on the sad prince. Sora looked up with a slight frown.

"Nobodies have emotions. They just don't recognize it," he replied.

"I see." The prince turned his gaze downward again and the pair walked in silence for the rest of the way, trailed by Roxas.

Upon reaching the small pavilion in the center of the courtyard, Sora saw that his parents were already there.

"Sora!" said his mother with raised eyebrows. "We didn't expect you to be here. Where are Riku and Kairi?"

"Kairi's in town shopping, Riku's with her. As for me…"

"He sought my presence as soon as he heard that I was in town today, Your Majesty," interrupted Merlin.

"I supposed that you have brought some fantastic fireworks with you again," smiled the king.

Merlin laughed. "Of course. I can never fail to bring such entertainment. I do apologize for my absence at your birthday, Sora."

"It's okay. As long as you came to visit, I'm fine with it," the prince grinned.

"Come, sit and have some tea."

During the few moments of silence while Sora and Merlin adjusted their tea, the king looked over to the ever-silent Roxas and then back to Sora. He smiled upon realizing how grown up his son had become.

"Sora," he began. "I know you're still young, but it is time for you to prepare yourself to become the next king of Destiny Islands."

The prince's eyes widened with surprise. He gulped with slight unease and nodded hesitantly.

"What would you have me do, Father?" he asked, his voice was strong and brought a smile to the aging monarch.

"I want you to go out and see the world, experience what you have not experienced thus far in your young life. Destiny Islands is much too nice to teach you about the world and the unpleasantness of real life."

"To make me a better ruler, right?" smiled Sora.

The king laughed. "Exactly."

* * *

"So you're leaving with us?" asked Riku as the pair of princes leaned against the wall in Sora's room. The blond-haired Nobody milled about packing Sora's things for the trip of undetermined length, pausing every once in awhile to inquire about the wellbeing of his master, who had kept his eyes downcast the majority of the time.

"Yeah," said Sora glumly. Riku looked at his younger friend with an arched eyebrow.

"What's on your mind, Sora?"

Sora sighed. "I can't help but feel something bad is going to happen on this journey."

Riku laughed. "Something bad will always happen, you just have to deal with it when the time comes! Besides, what's a journey without some excitement?"

Sora's eyes twinkled at the words of encouragement and the brown-haired teen grinned. "You're right. I've been too gloomy lately to forget that- Oh man, I'm going on a trip away from my home! Roxas, keep packing my things, I need to settle some things while I'm still here." Without another word, Sora left the room.

"Yes, Your Highness," replied Roxas with a bow. He then continued his task of packing Sora's things up soundlessly and uncomplaining. Riku frowned at the emotionless response by the Nobody and watched him carefully as the blond-haired teen moved about. The silver-haired prince couldn't help but wonder how someone could live such a dull life. The Nobody said nothing, did nothing else to amuse himself while he performed such mundane activities.

"I hope Sora will bring your emotions back," said Riku softly. Roxas stopped in his tracks and turned his straight face to Riku.

"I wouldn't know what to do with them," he replied. "Your Highness."

"You mean that, don't you."

"I am a Nobody, your Highness. It is not for me to have a life of my own."

"Sora doesn't think so."

"Then I shall apologize to him before he tries to overthrow the tradition. Your Highnesses should also not try to give him any ideas about Nobodies." He returned his attention to his task at hand.

"Can you sincerely not feel anything for Sora?" asked Riku loudly.

"I wouldn't know. I've forgotten how to feel."

"Maybe you're just denying your feelings," suggested Riku. Roxas turned to respond, but the prince had already left the room. Roxas stared at the open doorway for a second before resuming his task, all thoughts of his conversation with Riku banished from his mind.

* * *

"Sora," came the queen's voice as her son was about to round yet another corner on his way to say farewell to the servants within the castle. The prince came to a skidding halt with a jump as he was caught red-handed by his mother in running about.

The queen chuckled softly upon seeing the blush on her son's face and lifted the face up with amusement.

"What have I said about running in the castle?" she said sternly, but Sora could see the amusement in her eyes.

"Sorry, Mother."

"Come, walk with me."

The pair walked into the large garden in the back of the castle in comfortable silence. Far behind, the queen's ladies-in-waiting walked quietly, awaiting commands from their beloved queen.

Sora's mother stopped in front of a rose bush and looked at the flowers before turning to look at her son, who was clearly antsy.

"Eager to say good-bye to everyone?" inquired the queen with a smile.

"There are so many people I want to say good-bye to," replied Sora.

His mother laughed softly. "So there is. While you're on this journey, Sora," they began walking again. "I do wish that you will also find a suitable mate who will rule beside you."

"Oh." Sora fell silent. His heart seemed to be telling him that he's already found someone, but his mind battled against his heart.

"Though," smiled the queen. "I surmise you might've found someone already."

The blush on Sora's face confirmed her suspicions.

"I won't say that I disapprove of your relationship with Roxas. But, my dearest, you will have to fight through the established social caste to be able to make people accept your decision."

"Does Father…"

"He knows, but he didn't want to say anything. It is your life, Sora."

"I think…"

"We don't need to know if you do love him or not. Do be prepared to fight tooth and nail for Roxas, though. Alright?" She tapped his nose affectionately with her index finger.

"Yes, Mother."

"Oh, my dear," she pulled her son into a warm embrace. "You've grown up so much."

"Mom…" whined Sora slightly as his mother laughed. "I'll be fine on this journey."

"I know, I know. I just hope you won't do anything too rash while you're away." She winked suggestively at him and Sora's face flushed once again.

"Mom!"

The queen simply laughed as she continued her way through the grand garden.

* * *

Sora supposed that it was only fitting that the night prior to his departure, a grand extravaganza would take place. With the arrival of Merlin, everyone in town was looking forward to the grand spectacle that was fireworks late into the night. And the wizard did not disappoint them, nor did he disappoint the royal family.

The initial bursts of stars held simple elegance and the sky flashed with blue and gold. As program continued, however, more elaborate bursts of fireworks dotted the sky. And as people ohhed and ahhed at the spectacle, Sora couldn't help but follow suit.

And if Sora had taken a glance back at his Nobody, he would've seen the funniest look on his Nobody's face.

Watching the fireworks burst in the sky, the blond-haired Nobody was surprisingly awed by such a spectacle. The various colors assaulted his senses and he couldn't help but open his mouth to gape. Of course, his training quickly caught himself and he snapped his mouth shut. Another wave of colors splashed across the midnight blue sky and Roxas's mouth opened again. The repetitious expressions made him look like a fish out of water.

Naminé, who had been watching her counterpart this entire time from the corner of her eye, allowed herself a small smile. She knew that no one could be the perfect Nobody and with Roxas being reminded of his former self, she knew that Sora would be the one to break through and release the enclosed heart of Roxas.

* * *

Prince Sora stood still upon the stone-made dock, the magnificent kingdom that would be his stood in the distant background behind his parents and the various servants that accompanied them to the dock. He swallowed down a strange feeling in his gut and approached his smiling mother. The queen embraced him tightly and gave him a reassuring smile.

"Good luck," she said cheerfully. Sora gave her a fake smile, the nagging feeling that some tragedy will befall them upon his departure.

"Take care, son," said the king, ruffling his son's spiky hair playfully. Sora frowned at the show of affection and quickly backed away from his father. He ruined his image as the Prince of the Destiny Islands by sticking his tongue out at his father childishly, earning him a hearty laugh from the king and an amused giggle from the queen.

"I will return as soon as possible," he said with a bow of respect. "Until then, please take care."

"Don't worry," replied his mother. "Go out into the world and learn. Do remember not to show off too much, dear."

"Yes, mother," answered Sora with mocked exasperation. The three shared an easy laughter before Sora ran up the gangplank onto the wooden ship that would bore him, Riku, and Kairi toward the mainland. Roxas followed up silently and calmly, looking toward the king and queen with a silent nod.

The crew of the ship hurried to make final preparations for the departure before the white flags bearing the symbol of Destiny Islands unfurled in the warm breeze. Sora leaped onto the rail and, while holding onto the rope ladder next to him, waved at the farewell party. A feeling of nostalgia filled his core and tears came unbidden as he looked upon the waving gestures of his own parents.

"Your Highness, are you alright?" inquired Roxas upon noticing the tears in his master's eyes. Sora looked down with surprise at the Nobody and grinned.

"I'm fine," he replied, jumping down from his perch onto the wooden deck. He wiped his eyes with his jacket sleeve and smiled.

"Traverse Town, here we come!" said Riku with a wide grin. Sora looked toward the horizon and didn't look back.

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: First of all, I apologize for this long update; it has been pretty hectic over the past two weeks. Though, I will have to admit, this chapter was probably the hardest one for me to write and trying to make it longer to make up to you guys. I actually grew to like the slow pace this chapter offers since the future chapters will be faster paced. I know I turned Merlin into a sort of "Gandalf the Grey", but it worked for my purpose, haha. The following chapters will get more action-based, but there will be snippets to help Sora find the inner child of Roxas, so I hope you will look forward to them._


	6. Traverse Town

_To reviewers of chapter 4:_

_Sky91: It would make more sense to develop the plot slowly, huh? Maybe it's better to have shorter chapters then? Hehe. And yes, Sora cannot give up on Roxas! I'd say more, but I'd be giving away a momentous event that will come in the near future, haha. Speculate on those words however you see fit. (wink)  
_

_haretikers: Yeah, Sora sure has supportive parents. Unfortunately, because Roxas has been trained so much, he isn't likely to be curious about his family--they will be making an appearance much later in this fic though. And as much as I want to comment on some of your other statements, I feel like I'd be spoiling too much if I do, haha. Thanks for the support._

_dark-ranmaru: I'm glad you liked it. Well, the "bad thing" that will happen can be interpreted in multiple ways once Sora's return to Destiny Islands down the road. (Yes, of course he's going to go back!) I won't discount the fact that the "bad thing" could happen to Destiny Islands, but you'll just have to see to find out, right?_

_Hero.Of.The.Hazard: Don't we all love fireworks? Hehe. Thanks for the compliment._

_Erdbeeregerechtigkeit: To be quite honest, I can't wait either!  
_

* * *

**Chapter 5 – Traverse Town**

* * *

When Sora stepped off the wooden ship after some three days of traveling upon the calm seas, he noticed that there was a severe lack of activity upon the docks. Although the sky was dark, it was to be expected for Traverse Town. After all, a perpetual predawn hung over the town as people from all over the world traveled through the place searching for a rest.

"It's awfully quiet for noon," commented Kairi as she stepped onto the wooden dock. A frown was visible upon her face as she surveyed the immediate vicinities.

"Well, it's certain that something's happening," Riku said as he pointed into the distance. A faint outline of a tower could be seen. Sora knew from his previous travels to Traverse Town that it was the "castle" of Traverse Town. It was another feature of Traverse Town that differed greatly from other countries. While other countries had castles for the royal families, the ruling family of Traverse Town dwelled in a grand, formidable tower that doubled as the clock for the town.

"Let's go see what's going on," suggested Sora and began his journey on foot toward the tower.

"Your Highness!" shouted the first mate of the ship. "Let us call for a carriage for you!"

"There is no need, Master Cole. We can make the journey with ease. Don't let us worry you." The first mate looked over toward the silent Nobody, who summoned his Oblivion Keyblade.

"As you wish, Your Highness," called back the pale blond-haired man. The three royal heirs and the two Nobodies then began their journey toward the royal tower of Traverse Town.

Their hard-soled shoes clicked crisply against the well-traveled cobbled road, the sound echoed through the air. Silence seemed to settle about them as they traversed the empty thoroughfare toward the castle.

"It seems that we're in the Zero District," mused Riku aloud as he looked about him. Indeed, abandoned houses with boarded-up doors and windows could be seen here and there amongst the locked buildings that surrounded them.

"This is the Zero District!?" exclaimed Sora, looking about with surprise. "It's changed so much."

"Do you think it has something to do with the Heartless?" asked Kairi wearily.

"Perhaps," replied Riku with a frown. The group stopped when faint sounds of metal clashing against stone and screams of terror met their ears. Both Sora and Riku summoned their Keyblades and without further conversation, ran in the direction of the battle.

"Roxas, protect Kairi with your life. That's an order," said Sora firmly. Roxas nodded silently and summoned Oathkeeper with his other hand.

"I can handle myself," said Kairi when Sora was out of earshot. She held her right arm out and closed her eyes. Sparks of white light gathered in her outstretched hand and a flowery Keyblade appeared. Behind her, Naminé pulled out a pair of deadly stilettos from hidden pouches in her dress. "Go protect your master."

"As you wish, Your Majesty," said Roxas with a tense bow. He then hurried after his lord and master.

"He's very protective of Sora," commented Kairi with a soft smile.

"We should hurry to the tower, Your Highness," said Naminé. The princess nodded in agreement and the two girls stepped lightly across the cobblestones toward the tallest visible structure in the distance.

* * *

Sora's face was set in a deep frown as he and Riku raced down the cobbled street toward the battle. Shouts of command filtered through the air and the prince could catch wisps of a familiar baritone amongst the shouts and clangors.

"Leon," said Riku.

"Think he's in trouble?" asked Sora.

"We won't know until we get there," grinned Riku. Sora nodded with an eager grin as well and the two proceeded down the thoroughfare, never noticing the silent footsteps of Roxas as he ran through the shadows of abandoned buildings.

True to his training, the Nobody's footsteps barely made any sound against the cobblestone. And, despite the various crags and splits amongst the stones that would easily trip up someone unfamiliar to the road, Roxas seemed to know the road already, stepping over potholes and jutted breaks without breaking a sweat. In fact, he was so proficient that he managed to arrive at the scene of battle before his master even did.

He scanned the open plaza where the battle took place for Prince Sora, finding neither him nor Riku in the fray. He did, however, lay his eyes upon the prince of Traverse Town who was engaged in battle with an Armored Knight. Various guards wearing shining silver armor with lances stood around Prince Leon, each engaged with a Heartless enemy. Roxas continued to watch the fray when he saw an abnormal Heartless that slowly made its way towards the unguarded back of the prince, slinking through the darkened cracks of the cobblestone street. As the shadow slowly rose up into a more tangible form, Roxas simply watched. After all, the welfare of the prince of Traverse Town was no duty of his.

"Leon, watch out!" shouted Sora as he parried the sharp appendage of the Neoshadow before it sliced into his friend's back and releasing his heart.

Leon turned around in time to see the Neoshadow disintegrate into black ash before the released heart disappeared into air. His eyes were wide with shock; he had almost died!

"Thanks, Sora," he replied tersely before turning his attention toward another Heartless.

With the reinforcement of Sora and Riku—and Roxas flitting through the shadows of the building destroying the Heartless that lingered there, the Traverse Town army slowly cleared the plaza of Heartless. One final stroke from Sora's Keyblade destroyed the last visible Heartless and the plaza was restored. A shout of triumph rang across the guards, all of whom escaped with their lives with a few scrapes and cuts here and there.

"Phew," said Sora as he wiped away the sweat on his forehead, his Keyblade dismissed with the end of the battle.

"Thanks, you two," said Leon with a slight grin on his lips. A lieutenant came up to him as Roxas made his presence known to the other two princes.

"Roxas, didn't I order you to stay with Kairi?" asked Sora suspiciously.

"You did," Roxas replied simply. "I accompanied the two to the tower before Her Highness ordered me to return to you." The lie came easily to Roxas since Sora is his Other and his main responsibility.

"Leon, what's going on here?" asked Riku once the lieutenant had finished whispering his report to the prince of Traverse Town.

"There have been reports that an assassin group is going around trying to stir up trouble in Traverse Town. I heard that a same incident happened in Trabia too."

"Is Selphie alright?" asked Sora with a frown.

"She was still on the way back when they attacked."

"Do you know who the leader is?"

The man shook his head. "The attack came swift and we didn't get a chance to see who released the Heartless here."

"Whoever it is, they have access to the Darkness," said Riku. "I think I'll need to head back to Twilight Town early."

"Think it's danger because it's close to the Darkness?" asked Sora.

The silver-haired prince nodded solemnly.

"At least stay for the night while the ship gets restocked," said Leon.

"Kairi would be sad to find out that you left without saying good-bye anyways," grinned Sora.

"That's true," replied Riku with a smile.

"Then, come along, my friends," said Leon with a smirk. "We shall have a celebration for your timely arrival."

* * *

Because of the architecture of the Traverse Town Castle, the throne room doubled as the banquet hall of the castle, situated on the top floor of the ten floored tower, excluding the five basements that served as storage, prison, and armory.

The circular room was as grand as the banquet hall at Destiny Islands and one might argue that the circular shape made the room much more pleasant to move around.

Selphie, from the nearby Trabia, and Rinoa were both in attendance along with many close friends of all three kingdoms. After all, the capital of Timber was only a few hours away by horse while the capital of Trabia was even closer at a mere hour away from the tower of Traverse Town.

Joyous chatter filled the air, mingling with the music from the chamber orchestra as people danced happily. Yet, despite the cheer, Sora couldn't bring himself to enjoy the festivities. Behind him, Roxas stood silently within the shadows, his glinting eyes surveying the room at all times.

"When will you be leaving?" asked Kairi as she tried to keep the sadness from her voice.

"First time tomorrow morning," replied Riku.

"I see."

"No need to fret, Kairi. I'm sure Riku can visit you whenever he wants," winked Selphie. Kairi blushed.

"Selphie!" she exclaimed in embarrassment.

"No teasing now, Selphie," said Rinoa with mock stern. "Look, she's all red now." A smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"Rinoa!" Kairi exclaimed yet again.

Riku laughed and wrapped an arm around the red-haired girl in a friendly hug. "You're too easy to tease, Kairi," he said. Kairi simply huffed in annoyance, but as the others laughed softly, she couldn't help but laugh as well.

"Sora, something on your mind?" inquired Leon. Sora turned to look at the prince of Traverse Town with a frown.

"The attack this afternoon's been bugging me; that's all," said Sora.

"Don't worry about it," replied Leon. "That's my job."

Sora blinked at Leon in slight confusion then let out a relieved laugh. "So it is."

"Your Majesty, watch out!" screamed Naminé as she lunged at Leon. The sound of a window shattering followed by wood splintering and a thud as the two bodies landed on the carpeted ground silenced the entire hall.

"Everyone, stay calm!" shouted the king of Traverse Town before panic settled upon the occupants. He whispered something to the captain of the guards who then shouted for the ordered evacuation of all celebration participants.

"Leon, Leon," said Rinoa soothingly as she knelt down next to Leon, who was just getting up. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks to Naminé." He turned to see the Nobody lying in a feverish state.

"Naminé!" cried Kairi, bringing her Nobody into her lap. She touched the blond-haired girl's forehead and immediately withdrew the hand. "She's burning up!"

"Quickly, summon the royal doctor," said the queen of Traverse Town as the two monarchs approached them.

"Yes, sir," replied a nearby servant who then rushed off to retrieve the doctor.

"We need to suck the poison out of Naminé," said Leon.

"I'll do it," said Riku, kneeling down.

"But, Riku-" protested Kairi.

"I'll be fine." He lifted the wound to his mouth and began sucking out the blackened blood, spitting it out with distaste.

A set of footsteps echoed across the marble floored signaled the arrival of the royal medic and his assistant, following closely behind the servant who had been sent to retrieve them.

The doctor knelt down next to the fallen Nobody and gave a cursory examination of her state of being. Meanwhile, Riku had grabbed a glass of water and was beginning to rinse out his mouth.

After several tense minutes, the doctor pulled out a vial of bluish liquid and tipped the contents into the whimpering Nobody's mouth. The girl calmed and the doctor exhaled with relief.

"She'll be just fine," he said with a smile. "His Highness managed to extract most of the poison from the wound.

As the others all breathed a sigh of relief, Sora's eyes turned toward the steel-tipped arrow that dripped with a mixture of green poison and red blood. The shooter was obviously trying to kill Leon, but was it the ones with the Heartless or was it some new enemy?

His eyes landed upon Roxas, who remained silent and unmoving in his position behind him. A sudden realization dawned upon him and he quickly turned around to look at where Kairi had been seated and where Naminé stood.

He scowled and stomped the few steps to his Nobody, grabbing the collar of the Nobody's jacket tightly.

"Why didn't you help Leon?" he hissed. "You were closer to Leon and yet you did nothing." He spat out "nothing" like poison.

"His Majesty is not my concern," replied Roxas simply.

"Not your concern!" retorted Sora angrily, releasing Roxas as if the Nobody was something much too disgusting to touch. "Leon is my friend. You would condemn him to death so easily just because he is not your master?" He voice had gotten louder.

"Sora," said Leon solemnly as he laid a hand on the angry younger prince.

"No," replied Sora, shaking his shoulder out of the touch. "Roxas needs to know this."

He approached the quiet Nobody and pointed a finger at him. "Listen to me and listen well. I don't care what those bastards at The World That Never Was told you or what they trained you to do. This is the real world now. And Nobodies should also be concerned for the lives of the others who don't have Nobodies to look out for them.

"I will not have some heartless bastard serving as my Nobody. If you remain narrow-minded and set on simply protecting me, then I shall have to send you back to The World That Never Was." His eyes narrowed with the threat. "Is that understood?"

The corners of the Nobody's lips turned slightly down as Roxas appeared to be slightly disgruntled by the ultimatum. "Very well, your Highness," he replied quietly. "I shall do your bidding and protect your friends as well."

"You better," replied Sora, still angry at his Nobody. He quickly pivoted on his feet and stomped out of the circular room to return to his room.

* * *

The following morning, Sora was mildly surprised by the lack of presence of Roxas when he opened his eyes. He barked out a sardonic laugh before pulling the silk cord situated off to his right to notify the servants of his morning rise.

He got out from the bed and stretched his limbs as he looked out the window at the gloomy sky. His mind wandered to his Nobody and he wondered what prompted his Nobody to not attend him this morning. After all, he wasn't in Destiny Islands any longer. Would Roxas had gone into town even though Traverse Town was not his kingdom?

The gloom, coupled with his thoughts of his Nobody, deepened his frown.

A knock on the door jolted him out of his reverie.

"Enter," he announced as two servants entered the room with smiles on their faces.

"Good morning, your Highness," the two greeted before approaching the waiting prince to change him out of his pajamas.

"Do you know where is my Nobody?" he inquired as the servant girl pulled out his navy blue jacket from the closet.

"He is said to be in town, your Highness," answered the servant boy.

"I see," Sora replied. He remained silent for the remainder of the process.

When he arrived for breakfast, he was greeted by Leon immediately.

"I told Roxas not to bother you this morning," he said with a knowing smile. "I think it would be good for him to get away from you for the morning."

"Knowing Roxas, though," added Riku, "I somehow doubt Roxas understands the meaning of reflection."

Sora frowned.

"It can't be helped," said Kairi quickly, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"How is Naminé?"

"She's resting in bed. She should be all fine within the next two days."

"Wouldn't she try to strain herself if you decided to leave the castle?" blinked Sora. The red-haired girl shook her head with a smile.

"She's been with me long enough to know that I wouldn't deliberately put myself in danger," she replied. "Besides, she trusts that I would be safe with you, Riku, and Leon."

"I see," said Sora solemnly.

"By the by," said Riku, "Leon, did your men figure out where did last night's arrow come from?"

"Was it from the same people that sent out the Heartless?" added Sora.

"We can't say for certain, but the advisors believe that it is so," answered Leon. "The material of the arrow was actually made out of black magic, the same as those that created the Heartless."

"Obviously someone wanted to take over Traverse Town," said Kairi. "But why?"

"We can only theorize that they want to control Traverse Town and consequently all trade and movement. Remember that Traverse Town is a major trading hub in the world."

"So the attack on my kingdom was just a distraction?" asked Selphie with a frown.

"Or a practice run," said Riku grimly.

"Regardless of everything," said Rinoa softly, "you should tighten security for your parents and yourself, dearest."

Leon nodded. "We've already ordered for extra security around the tower and extra patrols to search through the city and the surroundings for suspicious characters."

"Will they find who it is that's causing these troubles?" asked Sora.

"We can only hope," answered the brown-haired prince of Traverse Town.

"Your Majesty," announced a soldier quietly as he stood next to the prince.

"What is it?" Leon inquired.

"Riku, weren't you planning on leaving today?" asked Sora.

"The boat had been sabotaged during the night. Someone had shredded the sails."

"The same people?" frowned Sora.

"Most likely. They're fixing the sails right now. Should be done sometimes before lunch time."

"I see."

"Are you sure?" Leon asked none-too-softly.

"We have the area under surveillance. Any movement in and out of the area does not go unnoticed."

"Any chance for them to escape underground?"

"We do not believe so."

"That is excellent news. I shall inform my parents and we shall rid Traverse Town of these assassins," said Leon. "Return to the area and remain vigilant."

"Yes, your Majesty." The soldier saluted before hurrying out of the room.

"What is it, Leon?" asked Sora with interest.

"The gods smile upon us today," replied Leon with cheer. "My men have found the party responsible for yesterday's attacks."

"Really?" asked Kairi. Leon nodded. "We will be attacking when the sun is at its zenith. Will you lend me your help?"

Riku and Sora looked at each other before grinning at the older man. "No need to ask, Leon. It will be our pleasure," Riku replied.

* * *

The bell began its twelve tolls in the distant city. The men hid within the bushes eying the hidden entrance in the cliff face near the mountains that protected Traverse Town, with one side of the city protected by the ocean, the rest of the border of the city was composed of sheer cliffs with two canyons serving as the only way in or out of the town.

Sora held his breath as he watched Leon slowly move toward the leafy curtain that hid the entrance.

"This suspiciously looks like a trap," whispered Riku.

Sora couldn't help but agree with him.

Behind him, Roxas breathed lightly and silently as he too observed the beginning of their little mission to rid Traverse Town of the hidden menace. He narrowed his eyes to scrutinize the leafy curtain.

The shift of blackness within the shadows of the cave caused Roxas to widen his eyes. Not one for words, the Nobody quickly summoned the Oblivion Keyblade and stood up where he had been hiding.

"Roxas!" hissed Sora, half-panicking upon seeing the Nobody giving away their position. Roxas didn't reply, but instead threw his Keyblade like a javelin. The obsidian weapon disappeared through the leaves and hit something, eliciting a yelp of pain. A series of cannonball like bombs then shot out and the Traverse Town men quickly backed away from the entrance as the Heartless marked bombs exploded, leaving behind ashes and debris.

Sora gaped at the spot where Leon had been crouching. If it wasn't for Roxas, Leon would've been seriously injured by where one of the bombs had landed.

Before the smoke had cleared, Roxas quickly summoned Oathkeeper and dove into the cavern, disturbing the smoke that surrounded the entrance.

"Roxas!" shouted Sora with worry. A cry of alarm sounded to his left, followed by the sounds of metal swords being unsheathed. Before him, Heartless began pouring out from the cavern in droves, appearing from the shadows. He quickly summoned his Ultima Weapon and dispatched a Rapid Thruster that had been charging straight at him.

"Leon!" he shouted upon seeing the brown-haired prince also lunging headfirst into the unknown cavern.

"Sora, go after Leon and Roxas!" shouted Riku as he battled with an Armored Knight. "We'll handle this!"

The Keyblade master nodded grimly before he followed suit and entered into the darkness of the cavern.

Under the dying torches, Sora could see the back of Leon as he made his way down the damp hallway. Water dripped down from the ceiling and the drops echoed through the network of hallways. Further ahead, he could see the glimpse of Roxas doing battle with some of the other Heartless that had not joined their comrades outside.

An Invisible manifested next to Sora and the prince just barely managed to bring his own Keyblade up to parry the downward attack from the Heartless's claymore. Two slashes and a stab later, the Invisible disintegrated into black dust. Sora exhaled visibly before resuming his pursuit of Leon and Roxas.

Soon, Sora caught up with Leon and the pair entered into a large domed area of the caverns where Roxas stood in battle stance eying a black cloaked man. The sleeve of his robe had a large hole in it and Sora could just make out the wound underneath the cloth. He knew that Roxas must've hit the man when he threw his Keyblade at him.

"Keyblade, what a magnificent weapon," the man said with a dark chuckle.

"Who are you?" demanded Sora. The man simply laughed before throwing down several smoke bombs.

"No!" cried Leon, diving through the smokescreen only to find that the man had already gone.

"Dammit!" cursed Sora.

"Your Highnesses," said Roxas softly once he dismissed his Keyblades.

"These attacks on Traverse Town and Trabia are not planned by one single person."

"I surmised as much," said Leon, sheathing his broadsword.

"He had been speaking to the projected image of a thin, pale witch before I arrived."

"A witch?" inquired Sora.

"Maleficient," scowled Leon. "There's no mistake. It would seem that the Bastion Imperialists are making their move." Sora's eyes widened; he knew the name of the accursed group--a dark storm will rage over the world with the Imperialists.

"World domination…" whispered Sora. Leon nodded grimly.

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: And the plot thickens. Well, at least the more action-oriented portion of the plot is. And, of course, more development on the relationship between Sora and Roxas. The next two chapters could be combined into one, but I'm just going to just play it by the ear and see whether to make two quick updates—seeing how these last two have been fairly slow—or to make one long update. In any case, thanks for bearing with me and I hope you've enjoyed this chapter. X3_

_Oh yeah, before I forget. Props to whoever can figure out where "Master Cole" comes from. Hehe._


	7. Radiant Garden

_To patient reviewers and readers of chapter 5: You all rock!_

_haretikers: I had to lengthen the chapters to make up for the wait of course (wink). Anyways, I'm glad to know that I didn't make them seriously out of character, hehe. And to be quite honest, I've never really seen Kairi in a really bad light when I played Kingdom Hearts (sure, she's whiny and probably the epitomy of damsel in distress, but that's what's supposed to drive the story, right!? XD). But yeah, I'm pretty happy with how the characters turned out.  
_

_dark-ranmaru: Here's the long awaited chapter! Sorry it took such a long time to update, but hope you're happy with this chapter. And there will be more action in this chapter, count on it. (wink)_

_Black-song-xx-: You're not the only one who feels bad for Roxas, but alas, it is necessary for Roxas to grow emotionally after all. XP_

_Shiva-wolfsbane: Well, you're right about the fact that I don't put a lot of descriptions into the chapters, I might want to change that in the future. And a doujin? (gasp) You're more than welcome to do one if you want to, I'm just happy to know that you like this fic, hehe._

_gothicgirl2.0: I'm glad you like this fic._

_Laughing the Night Away: Man, the way you phrased that made me imagine Roxas in a rather inappropriate way! XD (Well, inappropriate for this story, XP). Glad you liked it anyways._

* * *

**Chapter 6 – Radiant Garden**

* * *

By early that following morning, Riku had already embarked on his return journey to Twilight Town. The parting was bittersweet as usual, but each of the three friends knew that they would meet again soon enough.

After breakfast, Leon had requested that Kairi tour the Traverse Academy that day despite her insistence that she be included in the discussion regarding the Bastion Imperialists. Only with Sora's promise that he would tell her everything did she relented and set off to the Academy that was located thirty minutes out of the castle in carriage.

Now, Sora stood over a world map laid out on a large round table with Roxas standing on guard near the window behind him. Across from his stood Leon's parents while Leon stood on his right and the captain of the Royal Guards stood to his left. The general of the Traverse Town army stood to Leon's right to complete the circle.

"Therefore, your Highnesses, we have reason to believe that they will either attack Timber or Radiant Garden next," said the general.

"'Tis nothing more than a mere conjecture though," frowned Leon.

"Our apologies, your Majesty, but it's the best speculation we have thus far," said the captain.

Both Leon and Sora looked at the map once again, but something bothered Sora. What was it that the man said?

His eyes widened with realization.

"Keyblade!" he exclaimed before stretching his hand out and summoned the Ultima Weapon. "That was what the man had said before he disappeared."

"Keyblade?" the king's eyes narrowed with thought. "That narrows the target down to Radiant Garden."

"Father?" inquired Leon.

"Radiant Garden is the home to the oldest Keyblade wielder of our time. You know him, thought not as a Keyblade wielder," smiled the queen.

"Who?" asked Sora.

"The wise Mickey Mouse."

* * *

"Roxas, what do you think of all this?" asked Sora as he walked through the garden that made up one of the floors of the tower.

"This, your Majesty?" inquired Roxas.

"The entire situation with the Bastion Imperialists."

"I…" Roxas hesitated a bit. "I can't say that I have much of an opinion on this matter, your Highness."

"I sense a 'but' in there," interjected Sora.

Roxas nodded slightly. "But I believe that a difficult road lies in front of us."

"I see that I'm not the only one who feels troubled regarding this journey," said Sora softly.

"Your Highness?"

"It's nothing. Let us prepare for our journey."

"As you wish," the Nobody said with a bow.

"Sora!" greeted Kairi as she hastened her footsteps towards them.

"You're back early," commented the prince with a raised eyebrow.

"There wasn't much to see really," she replied flippantly. "So? Aren't you going to tell me what happened?"

Sora laughed. "You've become more impatient nowadays, Kairi."

"All your fault," replied Kairi with a raspberry. "So?"

"Well, we figured out where the Imperialists would probably strike next." He set his lips in a thin line. "We're going to Radiant Garden."

Kairi stilled for a moment. "Somehow… I knew that was going to be the next target. Lord Mickey had predicted that such a day would come."

"He knows?"

"He's been keeping track of the Imperialist movement for the past three years," replied Kairi. "He knows the Imperialists better than anyone else."

"Not to mention the fact that he's also a Keyblade master," added Sora.

"Yeah."

* * *

Two days later, the ship was on the high seas toward Radiant Garden. The royal passengers had retreated to the gallery for the midday meal. And although they were all tense with the threat of the Bastion Imperialists looming over their heads, they reminded light at heart to make their journey more pleasant.

While they dined, they were being entertained by Naminé, who was performing a jig on a fiddle while dancing to it. Sora laughed and clapped along with the beat. He was rather impressed by her skills and wondered if she had performed out of her own volition or did Kairi bring the idea up when they were alone. His eyes wandered slightly and he looked at his Nobody from the corner of his eyes. The Nobody had a slight frown upon his face, making Sora wonder what was Roxas unhappy about.

Suddenly, he realized that the blond-haired teen could become upset like the rest of them. The thought brought a grin to his face and he silently cheered for the Nobody's heart.

A muffled shout of alarm from above interrupted the meal and the two princes quickly abandoned their plates to investigate.

When they reached the deck, they saw a lookout pointing at the distant horizon in front of them. The captain was viewing the speck of black through a telescope as he leaned against the railings for a closer look.

"What is it?" asked Leon.

"That ship flies a Heartless flag, sir," reported Captain Turner grimly.

Murmurs of unease swept across the deck as Leon took the telescope from the captain. After a few seconds, he lowered the telescope, a deep frown set upon his face.

"It's the Heartless," confirmed the prince of Traverse Town. "They're going to catch us regardless of how we maneuver."

"Battle stations, everyone!" commanded the captain. The first mate then began ringing the alarm bell rapidly, waking the resting crew below the deck.

"What's going on?" asked Kairi as she emerged on deck with Naminé. A look of worry passed across her face as she looked about at the men who hustled around her.

"An enemy ship is headed our way," replied Sora, his hardened eyes shone a cold light of seriousness. "It'd be best that you take shelter in the cabins."

The red-haired princess scoffed. "And let you have all the fun? I think not, Sora." She grinned widely. "I shall return shortly." With that, she returned below deck with Naminé in tow.

Sora blinked at the back of the princess as she disappeared into the darkness, his eyebrows raised in question. "What was that all about?" he wondered aloud. Leon shrugged in response.

For the next ten minutes, Sora and Leon watched with anxiety as the ship approached them.

"Did I miss anything?" asked the princess breathlessly as she joined them at the railings. Sora's eyes widened with surprise to see his childhood friend's hair pulled back into a ponytail. And instead of the dress she had been wearing, she was donning a white blouse with a leather vest over it. A pair of white breeches and brown boots completed the ensemble. She had pulled on two leather gloves and was now flexing her fingers.

"K-Kairi?" question Sora with bugged eyes. The girl grinned before holding her hand out in front of her. The flower Keyblade of hers appeared in a flash, much to both princes' astonishment.

"You have a Keyblade too!?" exclaimed the prince of Destiny Islands. "Since when?"

"Since Naminé came to me," she replied. "I daresay I'm pretty good with it too." With that, she swung the light weapon toward Sora, who quickly summoned his own to parry the attack. Kairi cackled mischievously in response.

"Man the cannons!" came Captain Turner's command. The trio's attention then shifted towards the stern of the ship as the enemy approached.

"Fire!"

The long guns at the bow of the ship went off in quick successions. Sora watched as two cannonballs landed in the water while a third one managed to splinter off the railing at the bow of the other ship.

With those first rounds discharged, the captain quickly turned their ship to set off a broadside round.

"Fire the portside cannons!" he shouted.

Another round of cannon fire went off and they found more success this time as the ship came closer.

In retaliation, the enemy ship returned fire with a round of their own guns.

"Incoming!" shouted a sailor. Several cannonballs fell short of their target while others skimmed across the railings and sails. One even came close to hitting the aft mast.

"We're reset!" came the artillery master's voice from below.

"Fire two!" the captain shouted as the Traverse Town frigate blasted another round of cannon fire at her foe.

"Return fire, ye scallywags," an evil voice rang out over the artillery fire. "Do not let them escape!"

Kairi stilled upon hearing that voice. "I know that voice," she said with widened eyes. She leaned forward on the railing to take a closer look. Indeed, the man captaining the enemy ship was a familiar sinister face. "It's Captain Hook!"

"You know that guy?" asked Sora. Kairi nodded vigorously.

"He was one of the men under Lord Beckett a few years back trying to place Radiant Garden under siege. I had thought he was captured along with the rest of Beckett's men."

"Apparently he escaped," commented Sora.

"Or someone broke him out of jail," said Leon.

"You think Maleficent did it?" asked Kairi.

"I wouldn't doubt it," he replied grimly.

"In any case, it'll be his last day on the seas," said Sora as they prepared for the pirates. Surely enough, soon, grappling hooks hooked onto the wooden railings of the frigate just as the two ships each set off another round of cannonballs at each other.

Sora would've stumbled onto the deck after that last wave if Roxas hadn't reached out to steady the brown-haired teen.

"Here they come," Roxas said softly, summoning both of his Keyblades at once.

The initial wave of boarders was, not surprisingly, the cutlass wielding Pirate Heartless. Mingled with the creatures of darkness were Captain Hook's own men, who fell easily under the skilled blades of the royal heirs and their servants.

"Watch out!" Sora shouted upon seeing a Pirate sneaking up behind Kairi. He didn't need to warn her after all when Naminé had thrust her stilettos into the Pirate Heartless just as he shouted.

"Thank you, Naminé," smiled Kairi.

"No problem," replied her Nobody before continuing to do battle with other enemies.

On the rigging, Sora's nimble Nobody stepped lightly through the rungs to fight against the apelike Heartless that were attempting to shred their sails. He scowled when he saw an Air Pirate manifest in front of him and charged at him to throw him off of the rigging. He quickly wrapped a rope around his leg and leaned backward just as the Heartless passed through the space where his torso had been. With a huff of triumph, he threw his Oblivion Keyblade at the Heartless like a boomerang and continued on his way without another thought after seeing the Heartless explode into black ash.

Upon reaching the top of the rigging, Roxas saw that the two Powerwilds were already preparing to bring down their feet to splinter the wood that held the sails up. Without consideration for safely, the Nobody stepped lightly across the yard and brought his Keyblades down in one powerful stroke. The first Heartless instantly disintegrated under the attack while the other stopped in its tracks to regard the Keyblades.

Roxas waited for the Heartless to make its first move and didn't need to wait long before the Powerwild leaped up and over Roxas before sliding in an attempt to trip up the Nobody. Gracefully, Roxas jumped out and out of the way of the Heartless, somersaulting over the sliding creature before twisting to face the Heartless again. He landed lightly and dashed toward the Heartless, bringing his Keyblades in a circle around him as he spun. The attacks hit the Heartless rapidly and it crumbled into dust.

A round of cheers rang down below him as the defenders beat back the enemy, but Roxas paid no heed to the cheers. He looked over to the enemy ship as it began to disengage from the battle. He could see the sly smile upon Captain Hook as the wiry man stared at him.

The sound of a cannon firing alerted him to the danger as a black sphere flew toward him at a rapid speed. He quickly leaped out of the way and the cannonball slammed into the crow's nest, showering splinters onto the Nobody. Roxas lost his footing with the injuries and fell into the black waters below.

The last thing he heard before he lost consciousness was Sora's scream.

"ROXAS!"

* * *

The Nobody groaned as he was wakened by the sound of birds chirping and the light shining down on his face through the open window.

He opened his eyes and blinked away the blurriness to find the wrinkled face of an elderly man hovering over him.

"Lord Ansem!" Roxas said with surprise. He attempted to get up and show his respect, but pain shot through his body stopped his movement.

"Don't strain yourself," the man said, making Roxas to lie back down.

"It's a relief to see you well, young Roxas," said another voice. Roxas turned his head to see a pair of large circular ears and black tipped nose. The eyes that regarded him held cheer and wisdom and Roxas knew the prominence of the short statured mouse that stood at his bed.

"You had been asleep for two days since you arrived," said Ansem. Roxas nodded silently before closing his eyes to recollect what had happened. He remembered falling off from the yard of the main sail and surmised that his entry into the seawater was anything but pleasant, especially with the wounds that the splintered wood had inflicted on him.

"Prince Sora has been keeping a vigil over you," commented Lord Mickey. "Sora," he said softly as he shook the sleeping teen up. "Your Nobody's awake."

Like a sleeping lion, Sora woke with his spiky hair tossed about as he stretched his limbs, casting off the blanket of slumber. His eyes immediately widened upon seeing the opened eyes of his Nobody.

"Roxas!" he exclaimed cheerfully.

"My apologies, your Highness," replied Roxas as he gave a nod of his head in a gesture of respect.

Sora breathed a sight of relief upon seeing his Nobody all fine despite all the bandages before smiling happily at him. Roxas, of course, did not return the smile.

"Sora, let's leave Roxas in here to rest longer," said Lord Mickey.

"I shall stay here," added Lord Ansem.

"Of course, sir," nodded the prince. "Roxas, get better soon."

"As you wish, your Highness."

Sora bit back a frown and followed the mouse out.

"Has he woken up?" asked Kairi upon seeing the two men exiting Roxas's room.

"He will be fine, Kairi," answered Lord Mickey with a smile. "Now, if you don't mind, come walk with me. I have some things to tell to both of you."

Sora and Kairi looked at each other with bewilderment before following the small mouse man out into the garden of the castle.

"Have you heard of the legend about the Keyblades?" asked Mickey Mouse as the trio strolled across a small clearing in the castle gardens.

"Legend?" asked Sora. The minute mouse nodded.

"What about the Keyblades, Lord Mickey?" inquired Kairi.

"Legend has it that the world was originated dominated by darkness. And it is during this time of hopelessness that three siblings arose from the masses bearing light. They were the original Keyblade wielders. Now," continued Lord Mickey as the trio sat down in a small pavilion next to a small waterfall, "when they defeated Chernabog and his legion of Heartless, they discovered that while the Keyblades existed, Heartless will continue to run rampant in our world. And with the three having power over tens of Keyblades, wherever they went, Heartless would show up.

"The three inevitably decided that they could not keep the Keyblades and thus gave them to other people deemed worthy of guarding the Keyblades. While kingdoms like Traverse Town and Trabia guarded one Keyblade, there were three kingdoms that held more than one."

"Destiny Islands," said Sora.

"Radiant Garden," added Kairi.

"And Twilight Town," finished the mouse with a nod.

"Now, the reason why these three kingdoms have more than one Keyblade is because they were the kingdoms founded by the original Keyblade wielders. Twilight Town was founded by Terra, the eldest of the three; Radiant Garden was founded by Aqua, the middle child; and Destiny Islands was founded by Ventus. It is also at Destiny Islands where one of the Keyblades is sealed. So in essence, Destiny Islands has three Keyblades there: Kingdom Key, the Ultima Weapon, and the Nameless Keyblade."

"The Nameless Keyblade?" asked Sora.

"It is the Keyblade that the three siblings had found after they defeated Chernabog. They say that it is the source of all Heartless."

"Couldn't they have destroyed it?"

"You cannot destroy a magical Keyblade," replied Mickey Mouse. "An artificial one made by the Chasers, who have long since faded into history, can be destroyed, but not a magical one. Yours, mine, Riku, Kairi, and even your Nobody's Keyblades cannot be destroyed by any physical means. This is why the Imperialists are highly interested in the Keyblades. They will seek to acquire the Keyblades to throw this world into darkness again."

"Who leads the Imperialists?" asked Kairi. "Isn't it Maleficient?"

"It is likely that she works with someone else too," answered the mouse pensively. "We have not figured out who it is yet. She has many lieutenants under her command. That Captain Hook that you guys encountered on the seas is just one of them."

"I see." Both teens fell silent with the grave information Lord Mickey had bestowed upon them. Mickey Mouse laughed lightly.

"I apologize for your sullenness, but I believed that you two needed to know this."

Sora smiled. "No sweat, Lord Mickey. Thank you for telling us this."

"Likewise," replied Kairi with a smile. "We were bound, no, we _needed_ to know this. It's just another step toward our destiny with our kingdoms. Right, Sora?"

"Ah, yeah," said Sora.

"The future will be bright with you two ruling your kingdoms," smiled the mouse.

"Your Majesties!" came a breathless cry as an armored guard bearing the Radiant Garden emblem ran into the pavilion.

"What is it?" asked Kairi with concern.

"The Imperialists. They've come," he reported.

"I see our fears have come true," said Lord Mickey. "Come, Sora, Kairi, let us see what's happening."

"Of course."

As they hurried through the various corridors, the sound of cannon blasts and battle cries could be heard ever so loudly. A large sudden explosion rocked the castle and sent them to the ground as they lost their balance.

"The battle sounds close," said Kairi. Lord Mickey nodded solemnly.

"Something's not right," muttered Sora. His eyes widened with realization. "Roxas!" Immediately, he jumped up and began backtracking to his Nobody's room.

"Sora!" shouted Kairi.

"Kairi, let him go," said Lord Mickey. "Our friends need our help. Sora will be fine."

The red-haired princess nodded. "Of course, Lord Mickey."

* * *

Sora continued his way through the corridors toward Roxas's room. All the while, servants carrying valuables and armored men of Radiant Garden passed him in a chaotic order as preparations for evacuation and the reinforcement of the castle's defense continued.

The shattering of glass and a high-pitched scream from a surprised maid halted Sora's steps. He quickly turned toward the source of the noise and found several Rapid Thrusters shattering the windows around him. They hovered near the ceiling as soldiers within the corridor prepared for battle. Through the opened windows, Darkballs, Hook Bats, and Surveillances also joined their flying comrades in the imminent battle.

The Destiny Islands prince scowled and summoned his Ultima Weapon in preparation for battle. As soon as he did so, the first of the Rapid Thrusters dove down toward the defenders and the skirmish began.

Throughout the battle, the men rallied around Sora and his powerful Keyblade as it decimated the Heartless. Yet, even with the beacon of light that was the Keyblade, several men fell prey to the feral Heartless and they too become Shadows, turning against their former comrade in arms.

The number of men dwindled as more Heartless poured into the blood-stained hallway.

"Is there no end to these monsters?" cried a soldier despairingly near the prince.

"Never give up hope!" shouted Sora. "We must protect our world!"

"His Majesty is right!" agreed another soldier. "We must protect Radiant Garden!"

A cry of determination swept across the defenders and slowly, they began to beat back the Heartless.

Sora continued his battles against the Heartless, destroying two Darkballs at once, when a familiar face moved in the corner of his eyes.

"Roxas!" exclaimed Sora upon seeing his Nobody moving through the ranks of Heartless mercilessly. The bandages that were on the teen's head and arms had signs of red, proving that some of Roxas's wounds were reopening.

"Your Majesty!" someone screamed. Sora quickly twisted around in time to avoid a fatal blow from a Neoshadow, but wasn't in time to escape unscathed; the Neoshadow had dealt a nasty gash upon the prince's right forearm. Sora gritted his teeth as pain shot through his arm, but he managed to bring his Keyblade down upon the Neoshadow to destroy it.

"Your Highness," said Roxas as he came near to the injured prince.

"I'm fine," Sora replied hastily while trying to staunch the blood flow with his left hand. Roxas blinked at the prince for a second before unwrapping a bandage on his arm to bind Sora's wound up.

"My apologies for the uncleanness of the bandage," he said.

"It'll do," replied Sora. "Thank you, Roxas."

With Roxas now by his side, Sora allowed himself a confident grin as the pair resumed their battles against the Heartless. Eventually, the defenders of Radiant Garden emerged triumphant with the last Heartless destroyed. Cheerful shouts erupted within the hallway as the soldiers celebrated.

"This is not the time to celebrate yet," said Sora loudly. "The rest of the castle still needs our help."

"Yes sir!" saluted each soldier simultaneously. "We shall follow you to battle!"

Sora nodded solemnly before leading the soldiers back to where he had last left Kairi and Lord Mickey.

By the time they had reached the main battle, they saw that the battle was already approaching the end. Although all of their friends appeared exhausted, they remained steadfast against the Heartless that was beginning to retreat. On the other side of the deep canyon that served as the "moat" for the castle, Sora could see Maleficient standing on a high cliff looking down with a sneer.

"Maleficient!" shouted Kairi's father, the king of Radiant Garden. "Cease your pointless attack, you will not win here."

"I'm just getting started, your Highness," came Maleficient's bewitching voice. "Of course, you could spare your kingdom of further destruction if you would relinquish the Keyblade of Radiant Garden to me."

"You will never get it!" replied Lord Mickey.

"Ah, Lord Mickey Mouse. I had hoped to see you here. You shall see the downfall of Radiant Garden at the hands of the Bastion Imperialists." She laughed maniacally. "Come, my Heartless, bring out Behemoth!"

At her command, the Shadow and Neoshadows began to merge together to form a large Heartless.

"What is this?" asked Kairi.

"I've never seen anything like it before," replied Lord Mickey grimly.

The Behemoth continued to grow under Maleficent's direction and soon, the giant limbs of the Heartless solidified with a purple skin. The giant Heartless took a step forward, causing an earthquake rocked across Radiant Garden; still the monster continued to grow. The defenders of Radiant Garden all prepared for battle against the Behemoth and waited wearily for the creature to complete.

Suddenly, Maleficent's scream of surprise echoed through the air and the Heartless that was taking form instantly melted back into the individual Shadows and Neoshadows. The defenders of Radiant Garden quickly turned their attention back to the previously laughing witch and saw that her staff had been knocked out of her hands. Sora stood defiantly against the black witch with his Keyblade ready at his side.

"Cursed Keyblade!' shouted Maleficient. "You may have won this round, but I shall return!" With that promise in the air, she spun around and disappeared. Her legion of Heartless also disappeared along with her.

A shout of triumph sounded within the castle as the soldiers cheered. Sora picked up a black feather that Maleficent shed as she disappeared and snapped it in his hands in anger. He had allowed the Imperialists to live on another day.

On the other side of the canyon, Roxas watched with apathetic eyes while another watched with adoration and desire.

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: Oh snaps, Sora has a secret admirer! Well, he won't remained unnamed for long, hehe. Hmm, now that I think about this, the ending seemed kinda rushed... and I feel like I didn't quite portray the characters well this time... but that might just be me being overcritical, haha. Anyways, the next chapter will take the attention away from the worldly battle and focus upon the relationship between Sora and Roxas and how it's affected by the introduction of Sora's secret admirer. Hope you look forward to it!_

_Authoress's Ramblings: So a couple of days after I posted the latest chapter, I was in the unfortunate situation where I have ideas of where I would be taking this fic after this chapter, but drawing a blank as to what should be in this chapter. Basically, I had a minor—or major, however you want to look at it—writer's block. And after I updated my drabble collection for Roxas/Sora, I ventured over to the Stats page and was surprised by the number of story alerts for this fanfic. I don't know whether I should feel flattered, but I s'pose there are enough people interested in this story for me to at least attempt to update every two weeks, yeah?_

_Why did I bring up this? It is really easy to add a story to your favorite list or alert list than to write reviews. Not for the sake of bumping my review numbers up, I would like to know what some people on the alert list think about this fanfic and how it's progressing. If you don't feel like reviewing, then so be it, but I'll have my eyes on your name on the alert list. (wink). I won't feel too miffed if you decided that you're going to delete this fanfic from your alert list. I know I've done that to plenty of fanfics out there, haha._

_Sort of a side note to haretikers on _The Melancholy of Sora Kazano_: The entire fanfic is based more or less on the anime series and the novels themselves, that might be why it read more like something on the bookshelf than an actual fanfic. I will proudly say that all the wording was mine though, haha._

_Also, I do agree that the romantic stuff is taking a really long time to develop, but there is a reason for that. If I develop the romantic stuff (which wasn't really explored between Haruhi and Kyon in the actual series) too fast, then I'd be left with little romantic stuff to work with in the last two years. In any case, I'm glad that you took the time to read _Melancholy_. Thanks a bunches for your reviews too._


	8. Betrayal

_To reviewers of chapter 6 (Oh gosh, there's a lot of people to reply to. My apologies ahead of time for the lengthy "pre-chapter" stuff):_

_dark-ranmaru: I s'pose the ending was a tad on the humorous side with Maleficent screeching and all, XD. Always nice to see your reviews._

_earth2water1element: Actually, I didn't really hint at the fact that he has an admirer until the very end. It was more of less a whim on my part so I can keep Sora in Radiant Garden longer, XP. And I totally understand when people don't review every single chapter. Sometimes, I prefer longer reviews than shorter ones, hehe._

_Sky91: Well, here's the next chapter! Hope you don't find the entire thing too clichéd, haha._

_Colours of blood: Thanks a lot for your review. I'm actually really glad that you mustered enough courage to submit a review even though English isn't your first language. And don't worry about messing up, that's what learning a new language is all about! While I do agree that Roxas's eyes should be wonderful and not emotionless, alas, that's how Roxas will remain until he finds his heart. Hope it won't take too long, but you know how stubborn people can be (wink)._

_Laughing The Night Away: Well, you get to figure out who it is here! Hehe. And as promised, here's some development, albeit somewhat small, between Sora and Roxas._

_haretikers: To be quite honest, I don't know what Roxas would do if Sora asked him to entertain the guest. Granted, he knows how to play instruments, so I surmise it has something close to what Naminé did, even though he probably won't play a jig, haha._

_tahmy: Why thank you. I'm glad you liked it. And I will be finishing this fic; I'm just hoping it won't turn out too rushed and incomplete._

_summerIIfire: Hmm, I wouldn't say that Roxas cares about his title as _the_ perfect Nobody, but rather, he's just resistant to change. He's lived his life without emotions until he's sent away from The World That Never Was. And so, he doesn't exactly warm up to the idea of showing one's emotions. And in a sense, yes, Roxas doesn't like what Sora's trying to make him do. Yet, at the same time, he doesn't exactly understand what Sora's trying to make him do as well. I hope that made sense, haha._

_Akatsuki Seal: Thanks for the compliment. And I won't spoil too much, but things will happen to both Sora and Roxas in the future to develop the relationship between the two further, hehe._

_LupinandHarry: I wouldn't say that he'll have his emotions really soon, but let's hope that it's soon enough for the relationship to solidify, right? XD_

**

* * *

Chapter 7 – Betrayal**

* * *

With the battle over, laborers began their repairs of the majestic Radiant Garden castle while heralds were sent out into the villages surrounding Radiant Garden to announce a public party at the castle in celebration. It was primarily a gesture of reassurance suggested by Kairi as she feared that her people might become ill at heart with the attack.

The party was set in two days and allowed the battle-worn defenders to rest with ease.

In Roxas's room, the Nobody had been forced back into his bed to rest. Sora sat in a chair near the bed being tended by another nurse while Kairi and Naminé both watched the annoyed look upon the prince of Destiny Islands with amusement.

Sora hissed as the healing salve came into contact with his newly cleaned wound. The old nurse clicked her tongue in slight reproach much to the prince's dismay.

"This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't been careless," the old nurse said.

"Stop treating me like a kid, Elmyra," huffed Sora.

"But you _are_ still a kid," replied the elderly nurse simply. Kairi stifled a giggle as Sora glared at her.

The nurse redressed the wound with new linen bandages and secured the bandage firmly with a knot.

"There, all done."

Sora tested his arm a bit, wincing as pain shot down to his hand. The nurse shook her head in amusement.

"Will you never learn, your Highness?" she asked, a hint of smile upon her face.

Sora sighed melodramatically. "Must you ask me every time?" A smirk appeared on his face just as Elmyra laughed.

"Well, seeing how you're all better now, I shall take my leave. Good day, your Highnesses." The elderly nurse then left the room with a benign smile upon her face.

"Elmyra hasn't changed one bit," smiled Sora.

Kairi scoffed. "You haven't been away _that_ long," she teased. Sora laughed.

"That's true."

His eyes wandered over toward Roxas, who remained silent throughout the entire thing. His eyes were closed but Sora could sense that the Nobody was as alert as ever. He thought back to that day when Roxas fought on the boat and then to the battle that his Nobody had fought in just mere hours before. It was then that he suddenly had a burning question.

"Roxas, stay here. I'm going to go find Lord Mickey. Keep an eye on Roxas for me, would you, Kairi?"

The Nobody's eyes snapped open and settled upon his master who had a frown upon his face.

"Of course, Sora," answered Kairi, as if realizing the same question as Sora did. "Naminé, go with him."

"Yes, mistress," said the blond-haired girl with a short curtsey. She then followed Sora out.

Kairi turned her attention back to the silent Nobody, who appeared to be battling against himself as he sought to quash down his confusion regarding Kairi's decision.

"You're wondering why I chose to send Naminé off with Sora," she said simply. Roxas felt unnerved under her scrutiny; it was as if she could see the depths of his soul with those knowing eyes of hers.

Seeing no reason to lie, he nodded silently.

"Sora is my friend. I would hate to see something happen to him within my castle. Besides, I would like to know exactly what he wishes to know as well."

Roxas remained silent. "What do you both wish to know?"

A smile appeared on the princess's face. "It is something you'll have to figure out on your own."

The Nobody blinked at the red-haired girl with slight confusion before closing his eyes and following the commands of his master to get some rest.

* * *

Sora's steps were hurried as he made his way through the Radiant Garden castle; all the while, Naminé followed silently much like Roxas would. Around the pair, laborers continued their work, filling the various holes and cracks of the castle with appropriate materials.

They crossed several hallways and ventured down a pair of spiral staircases to end up in the royal library where Lord Ansem and Lord Mickey were as they continued their research on the Heartless that Maleficent had employed in the latest battle.

Upon his entering, the two wise lords turned their attention away from the tomes that were laid out on the large desk in front of them to regard the prince. The sight of Kairi's Nobody following the prince hinted that the two heirs had questions for them.

"You're up and about rather early, your Highness," commented Lord Ansem. "What can we do for you?"

"I'll be straightforward then. Why does Roxas wield Keyblades?" he asked solemnly.

The two lords looked at each other grimly.

"I'm not sure we should be the ones to tell you this, Sora," said Lord Mickey, frowning slightly.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Sora with surprise.

"I do not think that Roxas know of his true heritage, my friend" said Lord Ansem. The mouse lord looked up at his friend and sighed.

"I suppose you're right, Ansem." He turned toward the prince of Destiny Islands. "Take a seat, Sora."

The brown-haired teen took the advice of the mouse lord and sat down. Naminé stood behind him off to the side, listening intently as well.

"Now, you know the history of the Keyblades and the three heroes who saved the world from perpetual darkness. However, what we're about to tell you pertains to several hundred years ago in Twilight Town, the kingdom of Terra the eldest," started Mickey Mouse.

"As you know, it is a tradition in Twilight Town to hand down the crown to the eldest of the siblings," continued Lord Ansem, "However, the first son of the king had fallen in love with a peasant girl living in nearby Nibelheim. After he confided in his younger brother, the younger decided that he was going to help his brother. After all, he was a believer in true love and wished to marry a princess from Northern Crater. However, since he wouldn't have been the one to inherit the throne, it was impossible for him to marry royalty."

"The pair thus devised a plan to free the eldest brother from his duties and fulfill the wishes of both brothers. They planned a hunt deep into the Old Forest and there, they faked the eldest brother's death, providing the circumstance that he had been gored by a wild boar and fallen into the rapids at the bottom of a canyon."

"How do we know this then?" asked Sora.

"While the younger brother was on his deathbed years later after he had brought prosperity to Twilight Town, he confessed to his son and wife of the truth about his brother. Unfortunately, by that time, the eldest brother had disappeared along with his wife from history," answered Lord Mickey.

"It actually wasn't until Roxas's birth did we find the line descended from the elder brother to be still intact," he continued. "The fact that he can wield Keyblades confirms his heritage."

"So if the elder brother had remained king in the past, Roxas would've been a prince right now?" Sora inquired with shock.

"Perhaps," said the grey-haired man. "If the past is changed, who knows what would happen now."

"Sora, what's past is in the past. Remember that you cannot change it," said the mouse.

The prince of Destiny Islands nodded absentmindedly. The thought that Roxas could have been like him was shocking.

"Sora," frowned Lord Ansem as he scrutinized the teen's face. It was obvious what the boy was thinking. "It's no use dwelling on the past. What you should focus on is what you will do with the knowledge that we've given you. Whether you wish to tell Roxas about his heritage is up to you, but remember this, Roxas is a Nobody."

The brown-haired teen nodded solemnly. "I understand. Thank you for telling me this." He then quickly left the room. Naminé took a glance at the two men as she stood in the doorway before following quietly after Sora.

"You forgot to mention one important detail, my friend," said Ansem as he stared at the chair where Sora had been occupying.

"It's best that they don't know the full truth," replied Lord Mickey. "At least, not now."

"I hope you're right, my friend. I hope you're right."

* * *

Two nights later found Sora and his friends in the company of hundreds of attendees at the Radiant Garden pavilion celebrating the steadfast endurance of their beloved country against the Bastion Imperialists. Jovial laughter and amicable chatter filled the air with the accompaniment of a chamber orchestra that played an upbeat waltz.

Although the threat of the Imperialist was not eliminated, Sora was happy at their triumph and partook in the celebration; even Lord Mickey and Leon seemed light at heart as well. Leon had expressed his amusement as he conversed with a Radiant Garden aristocrat.

"Excuse me," came a tenor voice. Sora turned and looked up to see a young man not much older than himself with a mop of striking red hair and curious amethyst eyes smiling down at him.

"Yes?" replied Sora, looking at the man questioningly.

"Are you his Highness, Prince Sora of Destiny Islands?" the red-haired man inquired.

"Yes… and you are?"

"I am Ienzo, son of Lord Bromo of Radiant Garden. I'd like to personally thank you for saving Radiant Garden."

"It's not a problem," replied Sora cordially. "I would hate to see Kairi's country fall to the Imperialists. She would've been so heartbroken."

"Yes, her Highness is a most remarkable person. I would hate to see something happen to her."

"Ienzo, are you bothering Sora?" came Kairi's soprano voice.

Ienzo scoffed with mock indignation. "I was doing no such thing," he replied. "Only you would think that way."

"Only when it comes to you," grinned the girl.

Ienzo feigned hurt as he covered his heart melodramatically. "Oh, thou woundst me."

Sora laughed at their antics. "I've never seen you like this Kairi," he said with a grin. "Since when had you become such a comedian?"

"Since the mischievous jester attended court some months past with his father," she replied as she pointed flippantly at the red-haired man.

"Oh sure, blame everything on me," he replied in jest.

"You know it's true," giggled Kairi.

"So it is," Ienzo replied with a grin.

"What were you guys talking about before I interrupted anyway?" she asked.

"I was merely thanking Sora for his help against the Imperialist. That's all."

The princess raised an eyebrow. "I sense that you're not here _only_ for that."

The man's face reddened at the insinuation.

"Well?" she smirked with amusement.

The previously confident lord suddenly became like a bashful peasant girl as he cleared his throat nervously. He faced Sora slight once again and scratched the side of his face. "Uh, well. Would you like to dance with me, Sora?" he asked, eyes averted in slight embarrassment.

Sora blinked with surprise at the request and slight gape speechlessly at the man. Ienzo chuckled nervously, taking the silence as "no". "Well, you don't have to say 'yes'," he blathered. "It's just that…"

"Oh no," interrupted Sora. "Your request was just unexpected." A kind smile appeared on the boy's face. "I would love to dance with you."

It was Ienzo's turn to be surprised and he gaped at the prince. "You will? Er, I mean, great!" He offered a hand to Sora, who took it without hesitation.

"Roxas, remain here," commanded Sora.

"Of course, your Highness," the Nobody replied with a bow.

Kairi watched as Ienzo led Sora into the throng of dancers before turning to whisper into Naminé's ear.

"Let's see how Roxas will handle this, shall we?"

"Mistress?" questioned Naminé softly.

"Sora might be successful at evoking Roxas's emotions yet."

Naminé took a glance over to the said teen and saw him looking into the crowd of dancers, his keen eyes following Sora like a hawk.

Out on the dance floor, Sora smiled as he and Ienzo danced along with the other dancers on the floor. There was a smile upon Ienzo's face as the pair spun and twirled about in accordance to the dance steps.

"How long are you planning on staying in Radiant Garden?" asked Ienzo, helping Sora in a twirl.

"I don't know when I'll be leaving yet. I have yet to plan out the rest of my journey," Sora laughed softly.

"Journey?" asked the redhead with a raised eyebrow. "Radiant Garden isn't your final destination?"

Sora shook his head. "I only dropped by to see Kairi back here."

"Ah, I see. Well, I do hope that you will visit my estate before you leave Radiant Garden."

The prince laughed. "I might just take up that offer. I am in no hurry to leave after all."

"That's great! I'll even invite her Highness to join us!"

"That would be wonderful," replied Sora.

At the conclusion of the dance, all the dancers stopped and took their bows as spectators clapped on.

"Did you enjoy your time?" asked Kairi with sparkling eyes once the pair returned.

"His Highness is a most excellent dancer," commented Ienzo.

"As were you," added Sora.

The red-haired princess giggled. "Well, that's good to know."

"Ienzo's invited us to visit his estate next week."

"Oh?" replied Kairi. A mischievous smile appeared upon her face. "Moving a bit fast, aren't you, Ienzo?"

The said man blushed at the statement. "It's not what you think!" he blurted as both Kairi and Sora laughed at his reaction.

"You're much too easy to tease, Ienzo," grinned Kairi.

"And you're too much of a joker lately!" retorted Ienzo.

"Indeed," nodded Kairi as the three laughed more.

Behind Sora, Roxas watched with a slight frown. The recent interactions between Sora and the others were leaving a strange coldness within him. He shook the feeling away, oblivious to the fact that he will continue to feel the void for a long time regardless of what he did.

* * *

The following morning, Sora awoke to the cheerful chirps of sparrows, blue jays, and cardinals. He smiled at the beautiful morning that shone through the windows and marveled at the glamorous sight that met his clear blue eyes.

He hummed a song from his childhood as Roxas helped him into his outfit for the day.

"Roxas," began Sora.

"Yes, your Highness?" asked Roxas flatly.

"Have you ever had a crush?"

"Crush, your Highness?"

"Someone that you liked," said Sora before adding, "more than just a friend."

"Nobodies do not have friends, your Highness."

"You didn't answer my question," replied the prince sternly.

"No, your Highness. I've never had a crush."

Sora's heart fell; he had hoped that Roxas might've felt love regardless of his emotionless personality after all. He knew that Roxas had no reason to lie to him about this. Yet, to hear his worst fear confirmed by Roxas's own words disheartened him. He wondered if he would be able to actually bring his Nobody's heart back.

How long had it been since Roxas came to him? Sora didn't want to think about it. He felt like he was getting nowhere while waiting for Roxas to become aware of his own emotions deep within. And when was the last time that Roxas had shown any hint of emotion? Sora didn't remember.

Suddenly, all Sora desired for was love.

A knock on the door broke Sora out of his melancholic thoughts and he quickly wiped off the emotions from his usually happy face.

"Enter," he responded loudly.

The door swung open to reveal Lord Ienzo's wondering face.

"I hope I hadn't caught you at a bad time, your Highness" he said.

Sora cocked his head to one side in question. "Bad time? What do you mean by that?"

"Well, you know how Princess Kairi gets if you woke her up before she's ready," Ienzo replied sheepishly.

The prince's eyes widened and he gaped at the man in shock. "When did you do this?" he asked breathlessly.

"Not more than two months ago," he replied with a nervous laugh.

Sora grimaced. "I feel for you. Having to deal with a cranky Kairi is one of my worst nightmares. But," grinned Sora, "I can assure you that I'm not like Kairi in the morning."

Ienzo let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank goodness."

"You came just at the right time anyway. Care to join me for breakfast?"

"It'd be my honor, your Highness."

"Just Sora will be fine," commented Sora as he exited his room.

"All right then. Sora."

* * *

Throughout breakfast, Sora chatted amiably with Ienzo about Radiant Garden and Destiny Islands. He even imparted some of his embarrassing moments while he was young at some of the other kingdoms of the world, including one where he and a young Riku wanted to gather up Thelassa shells to decorate Kairi's guest room in Destiny Islands. What ended up happening was broken shells littering the carpet when the two boys got too excited and the room was sealed off to be redone. Kairi's stuff had to be all moved to another room.

As it would seem, Ienzo was also a troublemaker and shared with Sora the story of him accidentally setting loose all the horses in the stables when he and Prince Edmy of Revenant Wings had wanted to go out hunting as children. Not only did they not end up hunting, they had to help the servants corral all the horses back.

The fact simply endeared Ienzo more to Sora.

After breakfast, Sora invited Ienzo to walk with him in one of the many wonderful gardens in the castle. At Sora's behest, Roxas followed the pair at a considerable distance, enough to give the two noblemen privacy. As the pair passed by a small stream, Sora turned to face the slightly taller man.

"Ienzo," he started, "do you like me?"

A blush appeared on the red-haired man's face.

"Wh-well, um, I," blustered the flustered man before he finally got a hold of himself and blurted out, "why do you say that?"

"You are the first on who has ever asked me to dance," replied Sora.

"But you're a prince!" said Ienzo with surprise.

"Shocking, isn't it?" laughed Sora. He turned with slight melancholy toward the small pond located at the end of the stream. "The only girl I've ever asked to dance with me more than once is Kairi. But our relationship is more brother-sister than lovers. I've asked others, but none of them would hold a decent conversation with me while we danced. All the guys would just talk about the other people in attendance while all the girls simply fawned all over me. It's quite suffocating."

"Well," replied Ienzo. "You are cute."

Sora's face flushed in embarrassment.

"It is true that I like you, Sora," continued the man with a faint blush on his cheeks. "You're strong, well-liked and handsome to boot. I would really like it if you would give me a chance."

"I believe that my answer would be 'yes' after last night," replied the prince with a grin.

"Thank you, Sora," said Ienzo, drawing the teen into his arms. "Let me give you the warmth of love.

Sora buried his face into the taller man's chest. Within, his soul warmed to the loving feeling and hid the ache of despair that came with the decision to ignore his heart.

* * *

While Sora stayed in Radiant Garden, Ienzo was always at his side, holding him in comfort and love. The position that Roxas had before the pair came to Kairi's kingdom was now Ienzo's. And despite his attempt in trying to downplay the sudden change, it became harder to ignore his own self as time went on, especially when Sora and Kairi left the castle to stay at Ienzo's estate at White Hill.

On this particular day, the insides of Roxas's body twisted painfully as he looked upon the scene between Sora and the laughing Ienzo. It was as if some worm was squirming to get out from his innards.

It would appear that Sora was very much attached to the twin brother of Zexion. Sora laughed as Ienzo gestured rather wildly.

Roxas squashed down his discomfort in observing his master and Lord Ienzo and quickly averted his eyes as the slightly taller, and older, man leaned down to place a chaste kiss upon Sora's own lips. He allowed his own thoughts to wander to the Nobody of Ienzo and compared the two direct opposites of one another. Where Ienzo was outgoing and seemingly immature, Zexion was the epitome of an introvert and took everything seriously.

He wondered if Ienzo knew of his lesser fortunate brother.

A frown appeared on his face at the thought and he silently chastised himself for letting his mind wander. He turned his attention back to the two lovers and continued his agonizing watch.

While Roxas watched his master and his new lover, the princess of Radiant Garden and her own Nobody watched him with interest.

"He seems torn, doesn't he, Naminé?" commented Kairi.

"Yes, your Highness," replied the blond-haired girl softly. "Does his Highness notice?"

The princess shook her head lightly. "I don't think so. Sora was never one for detailed observations. And with Ienzo around him, I doubt Sora even sees the changes in his Nobody. It will be up to Roxas to regain Sora's attention himself."

"Should I…?" asked Naminé.

"This is Roxas's fight. Only if necessary will we resort to that."

"Yes, mistress," confirmed Naminé with a curtsey.

Kairi then walked up to the two lovers and shook her head in amusement.

"You two seemed to be inseparable, eh?" she teased.

Sora blew a raspberry at Kairi and leaned against Ienzo playfully.

"Oh, that's really mature, Sora," commented the taller man.

The prince scoffed. "Like we're all mature here," he retorted, earning a giggle from Kairi.

"What have you two been up to anyways besides fawning over each other since daybreak?"

"We do not!" huffed Ienzo indignantly. Sora laughed.

"We were just thinking of riding out to the lake and having a picnic, care to join us?"

"Sure, why not," grinned Kairi.

While Roxas went off to prepare a basket for his master and friends, behind the two best friends, Naminé did not miss the slight change in Ienzo's face.

* * *

"Roxas," said Sora solemnly as he prepared for his respite. "What do you think about Ienzo?"

"I have no opinion of the man," replied the Nobody simply, pulling Sora's jacket off.

The prince whipped around in anger. "What do you mean you have no opinion?" he spat.

"Does my opinion really matter that much?" replied Roxas. "Your Highness is the one who loves the man." He scrutinized his master a bit. "Do you not?"

Sora slumped down onto the edge of the bed in a defeated fashion.

"I don't know…" said Sora softly. "Sometimes I feel like I just want to kiss him to death. Yet other times, I couldn't help but hate him."

"I believe that's what love's supposed to be." Sora raised an eyebrow at the blond-haired teen.

"Since when have you become a love expert?"

"It's only something I picked up from the taverns in Destiny Islands and Radiant Garden. I heard that love is a fickle thing and there are times where you may doubt your own love for another. But if one learns to accept his or her love for who they are, then there can be no doubt in the firm bond of the two."

"I see," said Sora, falling into a melancholic trance.

The Nobody remained silent as he continued to prepare his master's bed for sleep. Sora, sitting in a chair in front of the fireplace, remained silent as well.

"Your Highness," said Roxas, snapping Sora out of his thoughts. "Your bed is ready."

"Ah, thank you, Roxas."

"It is but my duty, sire," replied the Nobody with a bow. Sora blinked a few times at the teen as if not comprehending his words.

"Right," he said at last. "So it is."

Roxas tucked the prince in and made sure that the brown-haired teen fell asleep. He tended to the fire, letting it die down a bit before leaving the room to hurry back to his own room. As he rounded a corner, he saw Lord Ienzo looking rather furtively to his left and right while standing in front of a stone wall. The Nobody's intuition served him well as he observed from the shadows.

Quietly, the red-haired man pushed a small block of stone and the sound of stone against stone softly echoed down the hallway as the wall turned to reveal a hidden passageway. The lord entered the hallway and Roxas quickly followed in just as the entrance began to close. It was fortunate that his target did not turn around to look behind him as he continued his way down the secret passage. Roxas, all the while, followed the man silently within the darkness, staying out of the torchlight that followed the man.

The hallway gave way to a set of stairs leading downward. From the top of the stairs, Roxas could see a light flickering at the bottom of the stairs. It was as though someone was waiting for Ienzo already.

With silent swiftness, Roxas reached the bottom of the stairs just as the blue-haired lord knelt in front of a black-robed figure. The Nobody peeked at the room and breathed softly to eavesdrop.

"What do you have to report, Ienzo?" the black-robed figured asked as he turned about. His face was concealed by a dark hood but he could see the glint of golden eyes underneath the darkness.

"I've almost completed my objective, milord. The prince of Destiny Islands has no idea about my intentions. A few more days and we will know the location of the Nameless Key upon Destiny Islands."

"How are we doing with the princess of Radiant Garden?"

"Once we have Sora, Kairi will soon join him. He's the stronger of the two after all," Ienzo replied.

"Excellent."

Roxas's eyes widened slightly at the ill news. He quickly stepped away from the doorway and began his path up, never noticing that the two evil men had already discovered his presence. By the time he realized that someone was behind him, he was too late to counter the blow that came down on the back of his head. He grunted and fell to the ground in a daze.

"Sorry, I can't have anyone spoil our plan now," came Ienzo's sneering voice.

Roxas's mind screamed for the Nobody to stay awake and return to Sora, but the pain covered his mind and he closed his eyes.

* * *

When Sora opened his eyes the following morning, he was surprised to not see Roxas within the room. He blinked a few times, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him, and called out.

"Roxas!"

Yet, there was no answer. His Nobody simply wasn't here.

Wondering what had kept Roxas away from his duties, the prince pulled the cord next to his bed and waited for the servants of White Hill estate to attend to him.

Just as he had finished getting dressed, several knocks on the door caught Sora's attention.

"Enter," he announced. The door opened to reveal Ienzo and Kairi, followed closely by Naminé. The worried look upon Sora's face alarmed the princess and her Nobody.

"Good morning, Sora," greeted Ienzo with a smile.

"Good morning, Ienzo," returned Sora, albeit less cheerfully. "Have you seen Roxas?"

"No," replied the red-haired man with furrowed eyebrows. Kairi shook her head as well.

"What's the matter?" asked Kairi with a frown.

Sora chewed on his lower lip. "Roxas wasn't here this morning. I'm worried."

Kairi took a cursory glance at Naminé, who nodded before leaving without another word.

"I'm sure he's all right," said Ienzo reassuringly. "He's your Nobody after all."

"I hope you're right, love," said Sora.

"Don't worry about it. We have a big day today after all," he winked. Sora smiled back at the taller man and kissed him, but within, he remained worried about his Nobody.

"Anyways, I'll go see that the preparations are complete. I shall see you this afternoon, dearest Sora."

The prince nodded. "Until then."

Ienzo waved good-bye to the two teens and left the room along with the servants that had been attending to Sora.

"Something's bothering me…" muttered Kairi as she looked the empty doorway.

"Kairi?" questioned Sora.

"Suddenly, I felt like I don't know Ienzo at all," she continued. "Why would he say such a thing?"

"Kai~ri!" called out Sora as he waved a hand in front of the pondering girl's face.

The red-haired girl snapped out of her reverie and smiled at the brown-haired boy. "Sorry, Sora. By the by, what's this 'big day' he speaks of?"

"We're getting engaged," he replied.

"What!? So soon? What did Roxas say about this? Don't you think you're being too rash?"

"Whoa, whoa, Kairi," said Sora, trying to calm the girl down. "I talked to Roxas last night. He was actually the one who reaffirmed my love for Ienzo."

"What!?" Kairi stared at Sora skeptically. "You didn't actually tell him, did you?"

Sora blushed. "Why do you want to know?"

Kairi sighed. "Sora, I know you. You were the one who was so adamant about getting Roxas's emotions back. You _care_ about Roxas's opinions and looked to find his heart even though he didn't want to. I know you care about his feelings even when he doesn't care. You were in love with Roxas long before you were in love with Ienzo. I believed that you would be waiting for Roxas to return your feelings for the longest time."

Sora scowled. "Well, maybe I got tired of waiting," he retorted with a huff. "And besides, what's done is done. Now, unless Roxas tells me specifically that he objects to this wedding, I'm going to marry Ienzo."

"You're being irrational, Sora," said Kairi with a frown.

"Yeah? Well, isn't love irrational?" returned Sora as he stomped out of his room in a flurry.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Sora," she said softly.

* * *

The sound of water dripping and fibers creaking with weight met Roxas's ears as the blond-haired servant regained consciousness. He opened his eyes to the darkness and found his wrists bound above him with hemp ropes. A dirty rag was tied around his head as a gag and he could barely touch the ground with his feet. He forced his weak arms about testing the bonds, finding them to be firm.

The Nobody closed his eyes and focused his strength in summoning Oathkeeper, which came to him in a brilliant flash of white light. He twisted his wrist about and caught the rope with the Oathkeeper, cutting through it with ease. With the support above him destroyed, Roxas landed on the ground and knelt down when his legs collapsed underneath him. He pulled off the gag and coughed as cold air rushed into his lungs.

Now free from his bonds, the teen looked around with narrowed eyes as the small damp cell that he found himself locked in. An old wooden door with a barred window stood between him and the hallway outside, lit by only a torch. The faint strain of music reached his ears as he sought to discern the purpose of the music.

His eyes widened with surprise at the melody. He couldn't believe that his Other would be so rash to make such a decision.

Ignoring the pain from the rope burns on his wrist, he tested the lock on the cell door. As he had suspected, the lock was firm.

He took a deep breath and brought down the Oathkeeper on the door, sounding an echoing thud. Disregarding the possibility of alerting his captor, he continued to chip away at the door, making a hole in the rotting wood.

A series of quiet footsteps caused Roxas to stop in his progress as he listened closely.

A shadow appeared on the wall opposite from his cell door and Roxas was prepared to throw his Oathkeeper through the window when his eyes widened to see who had come.

"Roxas," acknowledged the blond-haired girl.

"Naminé," returned Roxas.

Quietly, Naminé pulled out a lockpick from her hair and began working at the lock.

"What happened?" asked the girl casually. "Why are you here?"

"Lord Ienzo is not who he seems," replied Roxas.

Naminé hummed softly. "I surmised as much."

Several moments later, a satisfying "click" sounded and the lock came undone. Roxas quickly pushed the door open and came face to face to Naminé's smiling face.

"You're no longer a Nobody," he commented.

"I never was," she replied simply. "Come, this way."

"How can you say that?" asked Roxas as he followed the girl in front of him.

"I've been watching you for this past week," she said, ignoring his question. The pair climbed up a spiral staircase and entered the room, where Roxas had espied Lord Ienzo with a man cloaked in black. "You don't like to see his Highness with Lord Ienzo. It was tearing you up inside to see the pair being intimate, right?"

"No," replied Roxas instantly.

"Deny it all you want, Roxas," the girl said with a soft snort. "You can't deny your heart no matter what you do. Sora's in the ballroom. If you hurry, you might be able to stop him."

Sora's Nobody nodded silently and began on his way. At the corner, he dared another glance at Naminé, who simply smiled at him.

Once he was out of her sight, Kairi's Nobody allowed the smile to disappear. "I hope that mistress was right to let me act naturally. I would hate to have done more harm than good for his Highness."

With that uncertainty still lingering over her, Naminé turned and went the other way.

* * *

Behind the local priest, a small orchestra played a flowing tune that was the Destiny Islands anthem. As he stood on the stage next to Ienzo, Sora couldn't help but fidget. He was truly nervous about what he was about to commit to. Kairi was right; perhaps he was being too rash about all of this.

After all, he hadn't even informed his parents of his decision. He ended up lying to Ienzo and the priest that his parents had agreed to the engagement ceremony.

Why was he hiding this from his parents anyway? His mother had told him that she supports all of his decisions already, but he couldn't bring himself to tell them of his change of heart with Roxas. Worst of all, he didn't know why he couldn't do it.

In front of him, the priest said words that he didn't hear. Ienzo nudged him lightly, but he didn't feel it. All of his thoughts were wrapped around this important decision.

Before he knew it, Ienzo had knelt down on one knee in a most clichéd fashion, holding Sora's right hand in his hand as he prepared to place a gold band onto the prince's ring finger.

"Will you marry me, Sora?" Ienzo's question came, but his voice seemed so far away.

The doors into the ballroom suddenly slammed open and the ceremony came to a screeching halt as everyone turned their attention toward the now open doors and the blond-haired Nobody who had barged in a very unlike Roxas fashion.

"R-Roxas?" questioned Sora. "Where have you been!?" he exclaimed upon realizing that his Nobody was indeed safe and sound.

"My apologies for making you worried, your Highness. However, I must object to this engagement," said the Nobody with a bow.

"Nonsense," said Ienzo with a frown. "Why should he not marry me?"

"Because," replied Roxas as he summoned his Oblivion to point at the red-haired man. "You are a member of the Bastion Imperialists."

Murmurs swept through small audience as the accusation sank in and Ienzo's frown deepened.

"You are in my hospitality," he seethed, "and this is how I'm repaid? Sora, pay him no mind. Your Nobody is obviously deranged."

"No," said Sora, turning his eyes away from Roxas for the first time since he saw him that day. "There is no reason for Roxas to lie to me like this. Not when it matters to my life. I trust his words."

"Lord Ienzo seeks to usurp your Highness and her Highness, Princess Kairi of Radiant Garden. I saw him cavorting with another black-cloaked man last night. It was because of this that I was imprisoned within a secret dungeon and my recent absence, your Highness."

"I see," said Sora, his eyes cold and forlorn as they looked upon Ienzo. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Ienzo," said Kairi softly, "is it true?" The hurt and anger from the betrayal shone within her green eyes brilliantly.

The red-haired man looked from his would-have-been husband to the princess and finally to the Nobody that had ruined his plans and laughed.

"Yes, everything he said is true," he sneered. "I serve the Imperialists and I will not let this defeat be the end of me. You may have won this round, but I will be back. Long live the Imperialists! Love live Maleficent! Long live Xehanort! Let the world rue the day when it decided to fight against the Imperialists!"

With that said, he threw a smoke bomb onto the ground in similar fashion as the man in Traverse Town and disappeared.

"Oh… my son…" said Lord Bromo despairingly.

"I'm sorry, Lord Bromo," said Sora apologetically.

"No… it is not your fault. I just wish I had seen it earlier. I knew he was always rather discontent with White Hill; I just never thought that he would make such a terrible mistake. Perhaps I was wrong to let them take my youngest son."

"Your youngest son?" questioned the prince of Destiny Islands.

The lord snapped out of his reverie and smiled at the brown-haired teen. "Pay no heed to an old man's babble, your Highness. Please accept my deepest apologies and I understand if you wish to punish me for my son's insolence."

"No," said Kairi immediately. "I will not punish an innocent man for another's crimes. Your son will be caught one day and it will be him who will pay for his own mistakes. I just pray that you will not be too heartbroken when the day comes."

Lord Bromo gave a mirthless chuckle. "If I live to the day," he replied sardonically. "If you will excuse me, I shall attend to matters regarding this estate's future, now that Ienzo's gone. I apologize ahead of time if I can't make time to see to your return to Radiant Garden."

"No need to trouble yourself with our departure, my dear lord. I simply hope that you will be able to settle your affairs soon," the princess smiled.

"I thank you, your Highness. 'Til we meet again, farewell."

"Good-bye, Lord Bromo."

"Good-bye. Thank you for your hospitality."

"You are most welcome, your Highness." With that said, the old lord of White Hill left the company of the two heirs.

"I feel sorry for him," said Sora softly.

"There is no need for sorrow," said Kairi. "Although Ienzo's betrayal still hurts, I believe that he has another heir to share the rest of his wisdoms with. All is not lost for Lord Bromo."

"He's a lucky man to have you for a monarch, Kairi," smiled the prince.

Kairi giggled. "Perhaps. But for now, let's return to Radiant Garden and prepare the next leg of your journey. And perhaps prepare for a possible offensive against the Bastion Imperialists to bring Ienzo to justice."

Sora nodded and watched as Kairi left the room. His eyes wandered back toward the spot where Ienzo had knelt down to officially propose to him. The gold band sat forlornly on the red carpet; its usual shine had all but dulled under the dimmed light as ominous clouds rolled in over on White Hill. He picked up the ring and rolled it around with his fingers before holding it tightly within a fist. A fire burned deeply in his heart and the eyes of an avenger glowed from his sockets.

Ienzo will feel the wrath of the Keyblades and pay deeply for his betrayals.

_

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: Oh my god. That simply took forever! Haha. A month of busyness has kept me from my beloved fanfics, but I hope the wait has been worth it. I don't know exactly how Ienzo is in the game, so I sorta made him out of "scratch" (so to speak) by giving him the appearance of Zexion, but with red hair and the flamboyance of Zack and Reno from FFVII. And of course, who could miss the first instance of Roxas getting jealous! XD_

_On a side note, because I no longer have much time to update with classes and other stuff that I need to take care of—namely, more applications—I will be focusing all of my fanfic writing time to _The Heart of a Nobody_. That means _The Intrigues of Sora Kazano_ and my ficlet/drabble collection will most likely see few to no updates over the next couple of months. _The Heart of a Nobody_, on the other hand, will be updated, hopefully, once every month. However, if I get a writer's block, it may take me more than a month to get another chapter out. Regardless of what happens, I thank you all for your support and your reviews._

_And as usual, any comments or questions are welcome._


	9. Midgar

_To reviewers of Chapter 7 (Oh gosh, another set of lots of reviews to reply to. I apologize again for this… heh heh nn)_

_LupinandHarry: Well, that just shows how little Sora really knows about love right then, right? (wink) And poor Roxas, haha._

_iOchibi: Glad that I made your day oh-so-long-ago, XD. Alas, it'll take Roxas a long time before he'll get to the point where we all want him to be. But it'll be worth it, yeah? Hehe._

_Colours of blood: Brings a smile to my face when I think about the fact that Roxas could've been a prince, oh me gosh, haha. I rather like having Roxas being all personal to Sora but not realizing what he's doing. I hope that made sense, XD._

_dark-ranmaru: Well, as I've told someone else, it just shows how little Sora really knows about love, right? Haha. To be honest, I liked Roxas more than Sora initially and felt that the entire prologue in KH2 was so sad. But now, I like them both since they're "technically" the same person, just two sides of the same being, right? Ack, need to stop making them sound like they're just part of a person, XX._

_Sky91: That was my intention to have it longer. It probably could've been a lot longer than I wrote it if Sora didn't rush into things like he usually does, haha. (wink) I have to say that Roxas's reaction was somewhat clichéd, but at the same time, rather appropriate. Just goes to show that the perfect Nobody's starting to lose his emotionless self, neh?_

_B. David-Aw: Your review made me laugh, in a good way of course. XP. As much as it would've been awesome for Roxas to be a dashing rescuer, it doesn't exactly fit with his character in the fic just yet. Maybe I'll end up adding a bonus chapter in the end just for some humorous what-could-have-happened's, XD. In any case, I'm glad that I'm getting better that making the fic more descriptive. At least that's one aspect I'm improving on, haha. And thank you for the review._

_cobragirl401: But, but, you'd be missing out on the plot! Haha. But I understand it. Sometimes I have a habit of skipping things just to read what happened with Sora and Roxas in other fics too, XP._

_Edelin: Unfortunately, I'm sorry to say that I can't update as soon as I wished I could've, but hope this chapter's worth the wait!_

_Hero Of The Hazard: Oh you know it, XD._

_summerIIfire: No problem at all. As for reviewing, at least you're reviewing now, that's all that matters to me. 8D. Thanks for reviewing._

_Levski: oO. I know people think this fic is awesome and all, but staying up until 5AM to read it? That's a first I've seen. Hope you managed to read it again for comprehension, haha._

**

* * *

Chapter 8 – Midgar**

* * *

The seagulls called cacophonously above as the ship's sails slowly unfurled. A nice sea breeze blew across the calm sea and caught in the sails, propelling the ship slowly out of the dock.

"Good-bye, Sora!" shouted Kairi as she waved madly from the end of the dock. Just a ways behind her stood Leon, Kairi's own parents, Ansem, and Mickey Mouse. Sora waved back with a wide smile upon his face and the wind tousling his unruly hair about.

"See you soon, Kairi!" he shouted back. "Don't be a troublemaker!"

"As if I would!" her voice came back at him. In the distance, the prince could see his red-haired friend make a face at him playfully. He laughed at their antics and allowed his arm to drop down once the harbor was nothing more than a matchbox to him.

He stepped down from the riggings of the ship and landed on the creaking wood lightly. His eyes were full of amusement as they looked about himself before landing upon his stoic Nobody.

Remembering what Kairi had told him on the previous day, Sora allowed himself a sardonic smirk. He knew that Roxas would follow him, so he returned to his cabin and sat down on the simple bed within the small confines.

"Roxas," he began as soon as his Nobody closed the door behind him.

"Yes, your Highness?" inquired the blond-haired teen immediately.

"I never got a chance to properly thank you for what you did." He looked down at the cotton sheet and stared at the crisscross lines of the cloth unseeingly.

"It was my duty, your Highness," Roxas replied simply.

"No," said Sora, shaking his head. "No." He lifted his gaze and looked up at the Nobody that stood at an arm's length away from him. With piercing clarity, his eyes held the Nobody still as Sora stood up and placed his hands on his Nobody's shoulders.

"You were miserable these past two weeks, weren't you? To see me with Ienzo all the time instead of you was tearing you up inside. Don't lie to me."

"Nobodies cannot-"

"That's a load of lies and you know it," interrupted Sora angrily. "Kairi saw you. That's the thing with Nobodies; since they don't know emotions, they can't mask them." At this, the prince laughed sardonically and released Roxas from his hold.

The Nobody turned his head away from his master and looked down almost shamefully. He could come up with no response to Sora's statements. After all, he knew it was true and Sora _knew_ it to be true. Sora's eyes softened with sadness as he watched Roxas battle with his training to come up with an appropriate answer.

"You don't have to answer me, you know. I know the truth already." Roxas's head snapped up toward his master's sad smirk. "The sheer fact that you can't respond to me right now proves that Kairi was right."

In an uncharacteristic moment, Roxas breathed an intense sigh. Sora raised an eyebrow at that before breaking out a wide grin.

"Your Highness is right," he said at last. "These past two weeks have been torture." Before he could continue, however, Sora laid a finger on his lips to silence him. He then drew the lithe teen into an embrace and buried his head into the crook of Roxas's neck.

"Your Highness…" said Roxas softly with slight bewilderment and worry.

"I'm sorry," came Sora's muffled response. "I'm so sorry."

"It's in the past already, your Highness. No need to apologize."

Sora simply sobbed softly and repeated his mantra. Uncertain of what to do, Roxas simply stood there as his prince held onto him tighter. After all, the memories of his family holding him in comfort were locked away within the recesses of his soul alongside with his aching heart. And even though Roxas didn't return the gesture, Sora simply embraced the idea of the having his Nobody as his anchor for now.

* * *

The journey to Midgar took a little more than five days, during which three days were spent on the seas. While the captain and first mate of the ship objected to Sora's decision to be a part of the crew, binding ropes into nice coils, swabbing the deck, and tending to the sails, the rest of the ship's crew welcomed the prince into their ranks rapidly, each eager to interact with the popular prince.

As a result, those three days became the most amusing days of Sora's journey thus far.

Upon reaching Junon, the major port of the Midgar Kingdom, Roxas secured a carriage that would bore them toward Midgar. It was there that Sora had planned to locate the chronicles of the Keyblades as Lord Mickey had advised him to do upon reaching the grand city.

Overall, the journey wasn't as half bad as the carriage driver had suggested. Sure there were a couple of instances where Sora and Roxas had to hop off to help lighten the load on the carriage before it traversed across an old bridge or across a small stretch of desert that lay west of the mountain range separating the Junon province from that of Midgar, but Sora relished the brief moments of freedom. He was, of course, never one for sitting down still for long periods of time.

As the carriage hobbled across the plain that stretched from the Junon Mountains, the prince was more than excited to see the grand city of Midgar appear in the horizon as a sight of grandiose. Being the most technologically advanced kingdom, Midgar had a series of gondola lifts and trains that bore its residents from one sector to the next. In the middle of it all was the castle with a high-rise tower that housed the library of Midgar and the former prison of the infamous scientist Hojo.

Sora thought back to his history lessons and wondered if the despicable scientist had experimented on Nobodies as well. His eyes landed upon his own Nobody, who had closed his eyes in a moment's respite, and shuddered at the thought.

When the carriage passed through one of the eight gates within the wall that surrounded the circular city, Sora was amazed at the amount of activity that surrounded him. Traders of all types yelled out their advertisements hoping to catch the attention of passing buyers. Above them, the sound of wheels turning upon their overused axles accompanied the sight of small tram cars traveling upward toward the second tier of the triple-leveled city.

The carriage continued to clumber its way across the busy thoroughfares and boulevards, up circular ramps that connected the tiers before passing through the iron gilded gates that separated the central sector of the city from the rest. Before them loomed the grand castle and the tall tower that soar into the sky; their statures seeming rather imposing to the prince of Destiny Islands.

The entire stretch of the road from the gates to the front doors of the castle took no less than five minutes as they passed through a green garden decorated with fountains, statues, and trees of all sizes and shapes. In front of the opened doors stood an entourage of servants with Prince Rufus Shinra standing in the middle, Lord Reno and Lady Elena stood beside him.

Sora forced himself to smile cordially as the carriage drew near. He was never fond of the royal prince of Midgar; the man's aggressive tactics in dealing with dissenters simply didn't sit well with Sora. Still, Midgar prospered under the Shinras and Sora had no criticisms for that. Likewise, the feeling was mutual for Rufus Shinra, although he seems to ignore Sora's dislike of himself. Like his father, he saw Destiny Islands as an invaluable ally and thus sought their favor as much as he could.

The carriage ultimately stopped in front for the entourage and Roxas quickly opened the door, stepping out to allow his master to exit. The prince of Midgar stepped forward and grabbed Sora's hand in an eager handshake.

"Welcome to Midgar, Sora," greeted the man. The grimace that flashed across Sora's face went unmissed by Roxas while Rufus seemed to be utterly ignorant of the immense dislike that the younger man was holding. Both Reno and Elena smiled apologetically, knowing that Sora wasn't fond of Rufus, and followed as their prince led Sora into the castle toward the royal library, where refreshments had been set out.

"Please, have a seat," the brownish-red-haired man said, gesturing to a seat next to the fireplace. A warm fire crackled softly within the hearth and warmed the weary prince in this much northern city. "Anything to drink?" he inquired as he poured himself a glass of greenish liquid that was the specialty of Midgar, a rather potent drink by the name of Lifestream. Surprisingly, although potent, the drink was not alcoholic.

"No need to worry yourself," replied Sora for the first time since he arrived in Midgar. "My Nobody can take care of me." He glanced at Roxas, who bowed before selecting a flask of chilled wine in preparation to make mulled wine for his master.

The older prince nodded quietly before sitting down with his own drink. "Might I inquire your purpose here?"

The corners of Sora's lips twitched downward at the question.

"I'm here to visit the grand library," he replied, almost snapping. Try as he might, Sora couldn't keep the disdain and coldness from seeping into his tone of voice. Rufus raised an eyebrow at the discourtesy just as Roxas paused in his work to stare at his master for the same exact reason.

"My apologies," Sora quickly added. "The journey had left me weary and irritable. I would very much like to rest."

"Of course," smiled Rufus as he placed his glass down and prepared to get up.

"Let us accompany Sora to his room," suggested Elena. "You still have plenty of work to do, don't you, your Highness?"

For a brief moment, the other three aristocrats all thought that Rufus wasn't going to let Sora off that easily. But, luckily, Rufus simply nodded with an enigmatic smile. "I hope you get a good rest, Sora."

"Thank you, Rufus."

The trio of nobles silently made their way through the various red-carpeted hallways toward the guest wing. Behind them, their individual Nobodies did the same. The silence was so intense that it was rather uncharacteristic for the usually bright and cheery prince of Destiny Islands.

It wasn't until that they were in the prince's guest quarters and the door was shut did the sound of bubbling laughter echoed within the room. Roxas looked from his master to Lady Elena and Lord Reno and finally to the two other Nobodies, who were trying to hide their amusement, but unsuccessful at their attempt; it was as if some inner joke had been passed amongst them and he was clueless as to what it was.

At that moment, a stray thought passed through Roxas's mind. Was there no one else like him? Did everyone else with the title of Nobody lived their lives like normal people despite the harsh training?

A slight frown appeared on the teen's face and he quickly shook the questions away. There was no time for selfish indulgences. Even though the two Midgarian aristocrats are obviously good friends with Sora, there was no telling what they wouldn't do.

The laughter dwindled down into smiles as the three looked at each other with amusement.

"He _still_ doesn't notice, huh," asked Sora as he slumped down into one of the many chairs within the room.

The red-haired lord chuckled. "Rufus is only attentive to two things: the treasury of the state and the domestic affairs of Midgar."

"He seems eager enough to strike up conversations with me," replied the young prince with a raised eyebrow.

"Only because he sees Destiny Islands as a source of potential trade partner," answered Elena. "Surely you've noticed the ludicrous schemes he's tried to force onto you."

Sora smirked. "Who could forget it? By the way, how did Rufus react to not getting invited?"

"You were lucky that he was in Wutai during that month when the invitations came."

"Wutai? What was he doing there?"

"Probably trying to convince Lord Goro to accept Midgar's proposal to connect the two nations," replied Reno with a snort.

"You don't know exactly?"

"Rufus has a tendency to keep things to himself and his father nowadays. Even Tseng can't weasel his way into their confidence."

"That bad, huh?" asked Sora, referring to the recent insurgence in Condor Fort, a distant outpost in the Midgar Kingdom.

"It's getting better," replied Elena.

"How's Tseng?" Sora accepted a mug of mulled cider from his Nobody and settled further into the seat.

"Oh you know how he is. Out on another diplomatic mission for the Shinras again." With that, Elena heaved a sigh of sadness.

"I'm sorry, Elena," said the prince comfortingly.

"Don't be sorry," said Reno with a smirk. "Elena does her job to make Tseng know how bad he's been. You should feel more sorry for Tseng than for Elena." The blond-haired woman blushed at the suggestion.

"Reno!" she sputtered as the said man burst out laughing. "You're terrible!"

Sora joined in the laughter with amusement. His eyes wandered over to Axel and Larxene as they stood further away from their masters than his own Nobody was doing. A slight frown appeared on his face at the over-protectiveness of his Nobody before letting the frown to be replaced by a resigned smirk.

"So how long do you plan on staying in Midgar? I never got a chance to show you the Chocobo stables," asked Reno.

Sora laughed lightly. "That's because I've never actually come here," he replied. "I will stay however long it takes for me to finish my research."

"Speaking of which, what are you looking for in the library anyways?" Sora's eyes darkened at the question. "I never thought you were one for the books."

The silence that surrounded the prince of Destiny Islands was so palpable that a worried frown appeared on Elena's face.

"Sora?" she inquired.

"What his Highness searches for is his Highness's own business. Your lordship and ladyship of Midgar should take care to remember that," said Roxas suddenly. Both Elena and Reno raised their eyebrows with surprise.

"Roxas," hissed Sora; he too was surprised at the insolence of his Nobody. To use such an antagonistic tone toward someone of higher status much less their hosts was extremely rude, if not entirely unheard of. "You're completely out of line."

The said Nobody bowed slight as if in apologies and backed off with his head bowed. Yet, he offered no words of apologies. Sora glared at the teen for a tad longer before turning his head back to Elena and Reno. "I apologize for Roxas's lack of manners."

Elena kept her eyes on the strange Nobody before taking a glance at her own Nobody. Larxene met her glance and nodded slightly in understanding.

"Actually," she started somewhat hesitantly, "he's right. It is none of our business to ask about what you plan on doing. We just wanted to help you."

Sora gave her a sad smile. "I thank you for your concern, but it's something that I must do on my own."

"Ah," said Reno emphatically. "It's one of those _things_, eh?"

Elena looked over to her friend with a raised eyebrow. "_Things_? Reno?"

"You know how it is a tradition in Midgar for boys to undergo a series of quests before they're inducted into adulthood?"

She nodded. "There's a similar tradition for the girls too."

"I surmise that Destiny Islands has a similar tradition and Sora's been sent out on a quest to prove that he's mature enough to be treated as an adult."

"Yes, that is correct," replied Sora with a laugh. Although Reno was correct on the count since it was his father who had told him to travel through the world, Sora's trip to Midgar was only decided due to the location of the best library in the world. However, Sora wasn't about to tell them the complete truth; not so soon after the betrayal of Ienzo, who was going to wheedle the location of the Keyblades according to Roxas. Even though he knew Elena and Reno well, they are the subjects of an ambitious man. There was simply no telling whether they would not inform the Imperialists of the actual locations.

"Well," said Elena with a pause as she stood up from her chair. "I'm sure you are tired. So we shall leave you to your rest."

"Don't be late to dinner, by the way," said Reno with a grin.

Sora sighed. "Let me guess. There's a party?"

"You know it," laughed the red-haired man.

The prince of Destiny Islands waved exasperatedly. "Alright, alright." Both Elena and Reno laughed his reaction.

"Later, Sora," said Reno with another laugher.

"Good day," replied Elena.

Roxas closed the door behind the two Midgarian nobles while Sora slumped further into the upholstered chair with a deep sigh.

The Nobody turned to face his master with slight interest. "Is something the matter, your Highness?" he inquired.

"It's nothing," replied Sora. He placed his chin upon a hand petulantly as he leaned against one of the arms of the chair.

"That sigh doesn't sound like it's nothing," commented Roxas.

"Since when have you been this perceptive?" asked Sora with a smile upon his face. The smile grew wider when he saw a faint blush upon his Nobody's cheeks.

"To answer your question, I do not like Rufus very much. And I'd rather have nothing to do with the man for the rest of my time in Midgar."

"Then don't attend the party," suggested Roxas.

Sora stood up with a barking laugh. "If I were given the choice," he retorted. "Unfortunately, this party is for me. There's no way for me to get out of it."

"I understand, your Highness," the blond-haired teen said. Sora looked at him with confusion.

"Understand what?"

"I shall do my best to protect you from the prince of Midgar," he explained. His master blinked at him before bursting out in laughter.

"That would be most appreciated," Sora said with a grin.

"It is my duty, sire," replied Roxas. The prince simply chuckled with amusement as he entered the bathroom to get freshen up.

* * *

Of all the nations on this world, the Midgar Kingdom had possibly the largest group of wealthy people, most of whom are aristocrats. Doubtlessly, it was due to the practically nonexistent taxes that the wealthy need to pay under the Shinra rule, Sora surmised. If one were to ask any Midgarian where they could find Lord or Lady So-and-so, he or she would find that more than 99% of them live just an hour by carriage away from the city of Midgar. The town of Kalm, located east-southeast of Midgar, was said to be the richest little town throughout the entire world.

It was because of these conditions that Sora found himself in the midst of hundreds of aristocrats that laughed and blathered on aimlessly with their companions. The shrill laughs and gaudy dresses assaulted Sora's senses and the prince of Destiny Islands was absolutely disgusted by it all. As such, he sat in his seat rather forlornly with an expressionless face. Girls who tried to approach him all thought that he was arrogant and much too self-centered as Roxas repelled each advances for the agitated prince.

He covered his lips to hide his amusement as two ladies gossiped about him near him. The false words about him only made him happier as they helped to keep people away from him.

An hour later, he breathed a sigh of boredom, having sat in his seat for the majority of the time.

"Do you wish for me to bring you some refreshments, your Highness?" inquired Roxas immediately.

"Yes, please," replied Sora before reverting back into the façade of an egotistical man.

Roxas bowed silently and left Sora's side, disappearing into the throngs of servers, dancers, and diners alike.

The prince watched with a bored face before letting the mask fall with a frown. He wondered if he would be able to start on his research that night in the library. The teen was certainly eager to find out more about the Keyblades and the history that surrounded them. Sora fell into deep thoughts and didn't notice the presence of another person near him.

"Prince Sora, I would advise you to not get too attached to your Nobody," said Axel solemnly, his face void of any emotions.

Sora jerked in his seat and stared at the red-haired Nobody with his mouth slightly opened in shock. This Nobody was advising—no, more like commanding—him to not get too attached to Roxas.

"Axel," said Reno with a firm tone as he approached them. The Nobody bowed his head and backed away from the prince of Destiny Islands, returning to the shadows like a good Nobody. Lord Reno of Midgar watched with a frown as his Nobody disappeared before turning his attention back to the brown-haired teen.

"What did he mean by that?" asked Sora, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Reno breathed a sigh, earning him a raised eyebrow from the prince of Destiny Islands, before pulling out a chair next to Sora and sitting down.

"Tell me, Sora," he began. "What do you know about the Nobodies?"

"You're not answering my question, Reno," Sora frowned.

"No, I'm just being difficult and making you answer your own question," replied the red-haired man with a smirk.

Sora's frown deepened at the statement. He really hated Reno's evasiveness sometimes. "Well, I know that Xehanort trained the first Nobody-"

"Spare me the history lesson, _please_," replied Reno with a dismissive wave.

"You know I could have Roxas beat you up for being disrespectful to me," said Sora with a faint smile.

"Yeah, and I know you wouldn't. You're just annoyed right now," grinned Reno. "You'll forgive me fast enough."

Sora stuck his tongue out at the older man before crossing his arms with a harrumph. Reno simply chuckled at his response.

"Sooooo?" he goaded with a smirk.

"Nobodies were taken from their families before they were a year old to undergo training to serve the noblepersons to whom they resemble the most. They were trained to not be able to feel emotions," said Sora in a soft tone.

"Hmm," interjected Reno, rubbing his chin as if in deep thought. "They cannot feel, huh?"

Sora raised an eyebrow at Reno's question.

"What are you saying?" He narrowed his eyes at the man. "Do you imply that the training failed in making the Nobodies be unable to feel emotions?"

"I didn't say it, you did." Sora glared at the red-haired man with annoyance. It was another one of those moments where Reno could be down right infuriating with his evasive answers.

"Why don't you just tell me right now?" growled Sora, his impatience getting the better of himself.

"I don't think it'd be a good time to tell you," replied Reno. Surprisingly, the smile that he had on his face had faded away into a semi-frown. The eyes no longer shone with mischief; instead, they were clear and dark, hinting at the secrets of the Nobodies that are not public knowledge. And the reason for keeping those secrets simply made Sora more curious about the Nobodies.

"Are you saying… that Axel can feel?" whispered Sora almost hesitantly, as if he feared the truth.

The Midgarian lord glanced about him with a frown and nodded silently.

"That's as much as I'll tell you right now," he added tersely. "This isn't the time to tell you everything when Roxas is-"

"You mean when Roxas doesn't feel, right?" interrupted Sora acidly.

"Heh," snorted Reno. "Yeah." He stood up to leave Sora's side.

"How do you know Axel can feel?" the prince of Destiny Islands asked, his eyes staying Reno.

"Let's just say that he acts differently when he's just with me and Elena than when he's in public." With that, the red-haired lord gave Sora a short wave of good-bye and left the prince to his thoughts.

Sora watched as Reno weaved through the crowd and disappeared behind the wave of people swaying back and forth. The conversation gave him hope that Roxas is still human regardless of his training, yet at the same time, a strange sense of doubt chipped away his confidence in restoring Roxas to his true self. The question that stuck out in his mind was undoubtedly the key to understanding the Nobodies.

Why can Axel—and most likely all the other Nobodies—feel, but not Roxas?

"Are you alright?" came the Nobody's voice. Sora snapped his head to face the blond-haired teen and looked at him at first with unseeing eyes.

"Your Highness?" frowned Roxas. Sora blinked a few more times to clear his eyes before shaking his head slightly. Whether it was in disapproval of the sight of Roxas or a simple gesture to clear his head, Roxas didn't know.

"I'm fine, Roxas," the prince said at long last, his tone of voice similar to that of a man weary of everything.

"Are you sure, your Highness?" inquired the Nobody quietly.

Sora nodded. "I'm just tired. I think it's best that I retire right now."

"As you wish, your Highness."

The prince stood up and scanned the rowdy crowd once again. He then turned and passed through the empty doorway into a silent hall, leaving the ruckus behind him.

Outside, the white moon shone serenely down upon the Midgar Kingdom. And as Sora looked out at the pale moon, he wondered if it understood the Nobodies. After all, the moon was another shadow as well.

_

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: Heh, I told myself that I wouldn't make any more promises and there I go again making a promise that I ended up not fulfilling. Though I supposed that it couldn't be helped when my family decided that we were going on a two week vacation, leaving me computer-less and unable to update like I had wanted to. In any case, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I'm going to try my hardest to get the next chapter out soon. Not trying to spoil anything, but I think the next chapter will be rather central to Sora's entire journey, haha._

_On another note, this chapter is unfortunately shorter than the previous one, but that's only because I felt the necessity to split Sora's time in Midgar up to two for more story development. Sorry that you guys had to wait almost two months for such a short chapter, but hopefully you won't have to wait a long time for the next one. Thanks for sticking with me!_


	10. Chasing the History of Keyblades

_To reviewers of Chapter 8:_

_Sepiroth Darkness: I'm certainly glad that you like the story._

_LupinandHarry: Of course it has to be subtle and slow; it'd make no sense to have Roxas suddenly be able to feel now would it! Haha._

_iOchibi: Well, I wouldn't say that Roxas is left out of the loop completely. He's just ignorant of everything that doesn't relate to his task, like the perfect Nobody that he is. XP_

_Soari: To be certain, hearing someone who reads my chapters on a PSP is a first for me. I hope your eyesight won't get worse from this, because that would make me sad. DX_

_White Evergreen: Glad you like it. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that Sora will get through to Roxas really soon, you'll just have to be patient and wait for it, yeah? Hehe. As for the thing that everyone else but Sora knows about, you'll find out soon. (wink)_

_Levski: Good to know. Hope you weren't too anxious for this next chapter, haha._

_DG a.k.a Demon Gurl: While I am flattered by your compliment, I must say "never say never"! XD_

_DarkBombayAngel: Thanks for the compliment._

_dark-ranmaru: Well, what's a story without any suspense! Hmm, maybe that's why I'm losing interest in watching Naruto Shippuuden. Too much filler and not enough actual plot going on, lol._

_Azuresapphire15: Haha, your initial comment reminds me of MacDonald's XP. And to state the obvious, here's the next chapter!_

_Lyssah: Glad you like the fic._

**

* * *

Chapter 9 – Chasing the History of Keyblades**

* * *

The great library of Midgar was _the_ gathering place for scholars from all over the world. A constant congregation of minds, the library boasts up to a million unique tomes—many of which often had multiple copies—housed in an 80-floored tower. It was the core building of the entire metropolis and was accessible from all tiers of the city. However, while the majority of its books are accessible by the public, not everyone have the privilege to use all the facilities the grand library offered. In fact, Sora was fortunate to have a letter from Lord Mickey to allow him to have access to all parts of the library.

The prince patted his breast pocket to double check that the letter was still intact. He eyed the tall entrance flanked by double wooden doors with a mix of trepidation and excitement. He didn't know what he would find and harbored an irrational fear that he wouldn't be able to find anything pertaining to the Keyblades.

Scowling at the thought, Sora banished the fear from his mind. This was _the_ library they were talking about here. If he wasn't able to find any information on the Keyblades and the original three here, he might as well give up right then and now.

He took a deep breath and strode into the lobby of the library confidently. The high-ceilinged room immediately stilled Sora in his tracks as he slowly scanned around him. Old men spoke in heated, but hushed tones as they passed through the doors behind Sora and went immediately towards the lifts that would take them to the study rooms. Bespectacled, bright-eyed teenagers carried their borrowed books toward the exit; while some had started reading before they even passed through the doors, others clutched their books to their chests, treating the leather-bound tomes with such affection that Sora was slightly frightful of the entire place. His fear was soothed upon seeing families entering the library and heading straight for the reading room. At least not every person who visits this place was a fanatic.

Sora cleared his throat softly and straightened his jacket. He walked over to the front desk and looked down at a smiling mid-aged woman who had her hair tied up in a disgustingly tight bun. The prince would've kept goggling as he saw a few strand of hair popping out of her scalp had the receptionist not inquired as to how she could help him.

"Uh, yes," he stuttered before pulling out the letter bearing Lord Mickey's name. "I'm here to do some research."

The receptionist nodded emphatically and directed him toward the circulations desk to speak to the head librarian, who then set Sora up with a study room.

"You can have the room for however long you wish," he said benignly. "Just remember to turn in the key when you're done. Remember to scan each book you're keeping in the study room. Any questions?"

"Not right now," replied the prince with a smile. "If I have any questions, I'll be sure to ask."

"That's the spirit. It's always nice to have an acquaintance of Lord Mickey's in our library."

"Thank you." Sora pocketed the key and strode off toward the study rooms to get settled down before he brought books there. As he and Roxas waited for the lift, he scanned the directory nearby and made a mental note of the floors that he would want to began his search on.

* * *

Sora wrinkled his nose in slight distaste as he looked at the sizeable study room. A thin layer of dust suggested that although the library itself was well frequented, not all of the private rooms were occupied. Still, the room had an excellent view of the many gardens that dotted the second tier of the city and was well lit despite the worn furniture. The room itself will do just fine for Sora's research. He nodded with determination and left the room to Roxas's care, knowing perfectly well that the Nobody would freshen up the room before he returned with a few books.

He returned to the lifts and settled on the floor designated as World History. He wondered if he should try looking for the books on his own kingdom and that of Kairi and Riku's.

"Eh, wouldn't hurt to look," he muttered to himself. With that decided, he looked in the catalogues and went up and down the aisles looking for the books he wanted.

Thirty minutes later, Sora returned to the study room with a stack of books that nearly blocked his view. As he expected, the layer of dust that covered the room was gone and the room looked brighter than before. Roxas had even managed to procure a white tablecloth to cover the pen-marred table.

"Thank you, Roxas," he said happily as the blond-haired Nobody took the books from him.

"Did you wish to lunch here?" Roxas asked instead of acknowledging Sora's gratitude.

The prince hummed for a bit as he settled down on the chair, reaching for the book on top of the stack. "It would be nice," he mused.

"Then it shall be done." The Nobody gave a stiff bow and quickly left the room, closing the door behind him and leaving his prince in quiet solitude. Sora snorted at the abruptness of his servant before focusing his attention upon the daunting task of locating the Keyblades not of his own.

* * *

At the end of the day, Sora breathed a sigh of defeat as he set yet another book on top of the stack next to him. He leaned back in the chair and stared at the books unseeingly. The first day of his search had been unrewarding; all of the books that he had found contained absolutely no leads, no information about the Keyblades that were supposed to be held within each kingdom of choice.

The tired prince rubbed his eyes and breathed yet another sigh—the fruitless first day was discouraging him.

Roxas watched as Sora sat pensively in his chair, an arm on the armrest with his chin in his palm. He looked over to the stack of books that threatened to topple due to Sora's haphazard tossing of the books on the stack. As he straightened them out, he scanned over the titles of the books, noticing that all the books Sora had chosen for that day were on the history of the world—most prominent, that of Destiny Islands, Twilight Town, and Radiant Garden.

"Perhaps it'd be best to approach the subject from a different angle, your Highness," commented Roxas.

Sora's bored face turned towards the Nobody and he looked at him with veiled eyes.

"Explain," he said simply.

"Wouldn't it be simpler to search for the Chasers?"

"Chasers?" Sora blinked in slight confusion, his eyes sparkled with interest.

"The makers of artificial Keyblades," supplied Roxas. "Lord Mickey and Lord Ansem spoke of them."

The prince folded his arms across his chest in thought. "Hmm. You might be right." A smile came to his face as Roxas's words encouraged him not to give up just yet.

"It's getting close to dinner time. Might I suggest that your Highness return the books and rest up for tomorrow?"

Sora nodded quietly. "That'll be nice," the teen replied while he stifled a yawn. The entire day's exhaustion had finally caught up to the prince, causing him to chuckle lightly. He stood up and stretched out his limbs, getting rid of the kinks in his back for having sat down for the majority of the day pouring over the tomes. Roxas handed him several books in a stack while he took the remaining books. The pair then left the study room in quiet.

* * *

Over the course of the week, the pair of teens must've gone through at least a hundred tomes regarding the Keyblades and one particular title kept appearing in all of the passages: The Mysteries of the Chasers. Yet, despite all their efforts, they could not locate the scroll at all. Either it had been lost to the times or just a mythical script that no one has actually seen, despite all the references that were being made to that particular writing. A third option could be that someone else was also doing the same research that Sora was doing; the prince of Destiny Islands could only hope that it wasn't the case.

While Roxas went to inquire for the scroll at the circulations desk, Sora ventured through the bookcases yet again searching for other clues that might lead him to the Keyblades. As he looked about, his eyes landed upon a black book marked with gold letters. He stilled upon seeing the title and held his breath as he pulled the pristine book from its place, noticing that the book was seemingly not often read. He took a glance down the aisle where he stood and after checking that he was indeed alone, he flipped open the leather-bound book and looked at the contents. One particular chapter struck out in his eyes.

_While the training that the Nobodies undergo is intense, yet mundane at the same time, one must question the successes that the trainers at The World That Never Was claimed they have achieved; in particular, the complete eradication of human emotions from these unfortunate souls._

_As it turns out, one is sensible to assume that despite the trainers' claims, the complete removal of the human heart from a person cannot possibly be achieved. Behind closed doors and underneath dimmed lights, the Nobodies live a normal life, complete with laughter, joy, anger, frustration, sadness, and pity. The Nobodies must be exercise extreme caution to keep their public images separate from that of their private images. One careless mistake could mean the difference between life and death._

_While the normal lot such as you and I might think that death is a frightening prospect—physical death is indeed never savory—for the Nobodies it was a welcomed relief lest they die metaphorically with the loss of their emotions. This mental or emotional death is much more painful compared to the physical death. The idea that one would live monotonously under the command of another without enjoying life in itself would be indeed rather cruel and inhumane. As thus, many Nobodies succumb to the prospect of dying in body but living in mind and spirit._

Sora hissed out a shaky breath, clutching the open book to his chest as he tried to fully grasp what he had just read.

Was this the reason why Roxas could not feel? Was this what Reno and Axel and most likely everyone else who knew him and Roxas kept from him?

A hand shot out to steady himself as his head swam with a hundred questions, none of which he had any answers for. His grip on the leather-bound book tightened and his eyes dilated suddenly, as if he realized the underlying reasons for why his Nobody was the way he was now.

"Yes," a voice shot through Sora's consciousness. His head snapped towards the direction of the voice and focused his eyes upon the red-haired Nobody who had warned him about Roxas. "And no."

"The reason why Roxas cannot feel and why I can is simply because I stole away from the castle under the dark of night along with all the other Nobodies. Under the darkness of the mountains within The World That Never Was, we conversed freely, laughing at our own lame jokes, and voicing our distastes." Axel had a small smile upon his face, seemingly waiting patiently for Sora's own questions.

"Is it true?"

"The book?" inquired Axel with a raised eyebrow. Sora nodded stiffly.

"More or less," he replied simply. "Not everything in that book's true though. That's the reason why the trainers never took that book seriously and never looked into its allegations. Honestly, if they had, then things would've been a lot different now for everyone else."

"Everyone else but Roxas."

Axel stifled a chuckle. "Yeah."

"You never resented for the fact that you were condemned to such a horrid life?" whispered Sora harshly.

"We all did at first, though I wouldn't say that we were condemned to have such a life," snorted Axel. "But we came to accept the fact that we're different from everyone else. And even though we had no choice in the matter, many of us believe that we actually had the better lives compared to all others. We could accompany our Somebodies to countries that others could only dream about going. We have more freedom through the castles simply due to our station. Of course, the unfortunate cost of this freedom is the poker face that we all have most of the time. The only times we are able to truly be ourselves are with our own Somebodies or with other Nobodies."

Sora swallowed down a lump in his throat, knowing that his next question would be a very loaded query.

"Why did you warn me not to get close to Roxas?" he rasped out, his voice thick with fear and confusion.

Axel sighed with a frown. "Roxas is the only one out of us who never ventured beyond the castle walls until he received his assignment. I warned you to not get too close simply because it is likely that Roxas will never be able to return your affections."

"I see…" Sora murmured, seemingly unconvinced by Axel's sincerity.

"Your Highness is milord's friend. I would hate to see your heart shattered because Roxas might never feel."

"Is… that what you think?" asked Sora softly.

"Based on my observations before I left," he paused for a shaky breath, "yes."

"Do you think Roxas has a heart though?"

"If he does, then it would have been shattered into a million of pieces sequestered within the deepest recesses of his soul. It might take years to repair his heart; it might even never happen. None of us really knows how the true Nobodies behave." Sora looked at Axel, who seemed to want to elaborate, but at the same time did not wish to be the bearer of bad news.

"Are there any others like him?"

"Only one other," murmured the Nobody, looking away from the prince as though he feared the retribution for telling Sora. When he turned his face back, Sora could see the turmoil and pain within those green depths. "The very first Nobody. It was only after the success of the First that other Nobodies were taken from their homes to be trained. There are at least a handful of us being trained each year, especially now that the size of the noble class is expanding." He snorted sardonically.

"You care about Roxas, don't you?" asked Sora, although the tone of voice that he used implied that it was more of an observation than a question.

"He was a reminder of my family," smiled the Nobody. When Sora looked at him with raised eyebrows, he elaborated further. "I wasn't taken from my home until I was four years old. By that time, I had sufficiently known my family to remember them."

"Do you miss them?"

"Sometimes," he replied. "Milord took me to see them the first thing when he got me."

A spark of idea came to Sora and his eyes lit with hope. "Do you think that Roxas will warm up to his family?" he asked eagerly.

"He might, he might not," replied Axel, grimacing as Sora's face fell. "If your Highness is intent on bringing Roxas's heart back though, do remember this: your Highness is treading on a very, _very_ thin line. One little mistake could unravel all the work that you have done for him. It may take twice as long to get Roxas back to the point that he was before your mistake."

Sora nodded in silence, his mind running through hundreds of scenarios where he could potentially screw up. He could see himself becoming impatient and forcing his wish upon Roxas too much. In response, the Nobody simply retreated deeper into himself. The training that he had endured was much too deeply ingrained for him to simply ignore it and experiences the emotions that Sora wished him to feel.

The prince swallowed down a lump of concern as hopelessness swam toward him in a wave of emotions; yet, his faith in the stoic Nobody kept the despair at bay. A smile of determination appeared on his face as he let out a breath.

"Thank you, Axel," he said in gratitude, a bright smile adorning his heart-shaped face.

"My pleasure, your Highness," the Nobody replied with a short bow. "Now, regarding your Highness's search for the Chasers…"

Sora's eyes narrowed in quick suspicion, causing the Nobody in front of him to raise his hands in a gesture of goodwill.

"I mean you no harm," the red-haired man quickly said. "My master thought it would be better if I assisted you in secret. He has reason to believe that there is more to your task that you had let on."

Shaking his head in amusement, Sora gave a stifled chuckle. "The ever perceptive Reno," he mused. "What is it about the Chasers that you wished to tell me?"

"You should seek out the royal historian at the top floor of the library."

"Why?"

"It is she who possesses the scroll: The Mysteries of the Chasers."

* * *

Axel's words were proven trustworthy when Sora stood before the worn door bearing the placard "Ifalna Gainsborough, Royal Historian". He knocked on the door and waited for a reply within.

"Come in," came a muffled voice. Sora pushed the creaking door open and peeked in. The smell old manuscripts and books assaulted his nostrils yet a refreshing scent of lavender dampened the otherwise overwhelming smell. He looked about him, noticing the assorted collection of books and scripts that sat neatly upon what must have been ten bookshelves. The topics were eclectic, ranging from the biological studies of the ancient marine organisms to the modern advances within each country. There even was a book on the mystics of nobility.

"Be right with you," the royal historian's soprano voice flittered through the room.

"Take your time," Sora felt compelled to respond. He was prepared for wait for however long while the woman finished whatever it was that she had been working on. However, it would seem that she was curious about her visitor and soon came into Sora's view.

Ifalna Gainsborough had an imposing stature—tall and beautiful with a majestic air about her. Her hair flowed in waves behind her as she moved. Her eyes were a pair of piercing green orbs, as though they could look into the deepest part of your soul. Sora surmised that it was because of those sharply observant eyes that the woman in front of him managed to attain the job as the Midgarian royal historian. The prince found Ifalna to be the very opposite of what he had expected from a historian and a booklover no less.

"Well now, I had expected an elderly scholar to visit me at this hour. I never expected that your Highness would honor me with your presence," she said cheerily before curtseying with respect.

Sora gestured for her to stand. "Sorry for the sudden visit, I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time."

"No problem," the motherly woman said with a warm smile. "Now, what can I do you for?"

"I understand that you have a scroll in your possession."

"I have many scrolls in my possession, your Highness. You must be more specific than that," she jested, causing the prince to blush lightly at his oversight.

"The Mysteries of the Chasers," he stated after clearing his throat in embarrassment.

Ifalna arched an eyebrow and looked at Sora with curiosity. "The Chasers? They've died out hundreds of years ago."

"I'm not searching for the Chasers themselves," replied the prince as he watched the woman milled about the room searching for the particular script.

"You seek the Keyblades themselves," concluded the historian. She plucked a set of parchments bound with twine and handed them to the prince.

Sora at first didn't reply to the statement, but upon seeing the genuine smile upon the woman's face, he nodded silently.

"Then, I suggest that you take a look at this as well." She gestured for him to follow her. They then passed into another room and Sora marveled at the maps that lined the walls, pinned up in chronological order since the very first map of the world had been drawn.

"There is another source for you to look at. I've only managed to grab a hold of three pages of the manuscript, but it has on it a strange map that doesn't coincide with any of the world maps that I've seen. Perhaps you can solve that mystery."

"Map?"

"We think it's a map to the Keyblades of the world," she answered. The historian then pulled out an old parchment from a folder and laid it in front of the prince.

It was indeed a map of the world with the names of the countries that existed when the book had been written. However, unlike the maps that lined the walls, the general shapes of the countries were obviously erroneous. While Destiny Islands and Twilight Town were by no means large countries. On this strange map, they stood out the most along with Radiant Garden. Furthermore, the placements of the kingdoms were all wrong. Northern Crater was supposed to be at the top of the map while Destiny Islands was much more southern than Midgar. Yet, Northern Crater was towards the left edge of the map with Destiny Islands, Radiant Garden, and Twilight Town making up the bulk of the center of the map.

"Perhaps, it is not a map at all," said Sora despite the fact that the page looked very much like a map with a compass and scale.

"What do you think then?" asked Ifalna, taking yet another close look at the strange, bizarre "map".

"I don't know," replied Sora. "But I do think that you are right. That this does relate to the location of the Keyblades. I just don't know if it's actually a map or more of a hint."

"A hint?" The brown-haired woman hummed in thought. "Perhaps you're right. It is unlikely that they would disclose the location of the Keyblades so easily. Agents of darkness might find the weapons and corrupt them."

Sora nodded. "Mind if I take it?" he inquired, forcing himself to tear his eyes away from the strangely captivating image.

"Go right ahead," smiled Ifalna. "When you've figured it out, let us know."

"Us?" asked Sora with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course. I'm sure Lord Ansem and Lord Mickey would want to be kept informed."

The prince let out a laugh. "Of course. Thank you, Ifalna."

"It was my pleasure, sire."

* * *

Sora stared at the wall for the umpteenth time that day. The old parchment with the supposed map was pinned on the wall as a reminder for the prince to figure out what the image meant. Laid out in front of him were the scrolls detailing the history of the Chasers and the various subjects regarding the Keyblades, particularly the artificial ones that the Chasers were known for.

Despite his best efforts, the prince of Destiny Islands was unable to resolve the coded map in front of him. His search through the documents about the Chasers yielded no clue as well. Beside him, Roxas was flipping through a particularly thick tome regarding the history of the three original Keyblade wielders.

"Perhaps it is a diagram of some sort," mused Sora aloud, earning himself the attention of his Nobody.

Roxas took another look at the picture that Sora had pinned up and pondered upon it. He squinted his eyes and saw a shape that he thought he had seen before.

"Your Highness might be right," he commented.

Sora quickly turned to face his Nobody. "I am?"

"If you look at the diagram hard enough, it seems that there is more than one image being projected. Perhaps this map is composed of many maps with only landmarks being shown as the names of other countries."

"And the lines on the map?" inquired the prince, now looking back at the image, particularly at the region demarked as Midgar.

"Paths to the Keyblades themselves."

"So," said Sora. "You mean to say that the point marking each country is the starting point for a path leading to a Keyblade. Once we find where that point is located, we can find the Keyblade of that country?"

"Yes, your Highness," replied Roxas with a nod.

Sora leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. Although that theory seemed probable, there was still no way for them to figure out whether one should use all of the points as a sort of constellation map of the world or if only a selected handful near the country of interest should be used.

"Your Highness," called the Nobody once again. "Here." He slid the thick tome that he had been perusing toward Sora, pointing at a flow chart regarding the path of Ventus the Youngest in his life. The prince traced the path through the world, noting the particular countries that he had visited, and looked back up. Suddenly, as if it had been staring right back him, he quickly made a sketch of the strange picture, omitting the unrelated points. He didn't need to connect the dots to see that the countries he sketched out made up a word.

"Library," said Roxas.

"The question is: do we go outside to find the Keyblade from here? Or is the entrance somewhere within."

"I think it's in the Library itself, Your Highness," the Nobody replied. He stood up and approached the map, beckoning Sora to do the same before he continued. "If we are to assume that the positions of the countries are any indication, then the line that leads from Midgar goes downwards. In addition, if we are also to assume that the lines have any meaning, then this other line that cross our line would signify the transition from above ground to below ground."

"Think the scale matters?" asked Sora as he looked at the lines at the bottom left hand corner of the paper.

"I would think so," replied Roxas with a nod.

Sora reached for a straightedge that he borrowed from the library and marked the length of the scale before stopping his work. He stepped back away from the map and considered it further.

"Your Highness?" inquired the Nobody.

"We're doing it all wrong," he said. "Midgar's not the starting point; it's the end."

Roxas looked at the map and tilted his head slightly. His eyes widened with realization as a distinct symbol appeared on the map. Although marred by other lines, the outline of the Kingdom Key that pointed to Midgar was not lost to the eyes of both teens. There were no doubts in their minds at that point in time that the map in front of them, though strange and wholly uninformative to the cursory eyes, would lead them to the Keyblades of yore; the Keyblades that came from magic and cannot be destroyed.

"Does that mean that the Keyblade is somewhere on the top floor then?" asked Roxas.

"Perhaps Ifalna would know," he answered. He unpinned the map and rolled it up to take it with him. "Let's go see her."

"Yes, your Highness."

* * *

"The top floor?" asked the brown-haired woman as she looked at the two teens with curiosity before looking back down at the map where Sora had shown her the path to the Keyblade in Midgar. "That was Hojo's prison more than three centuries ago. No one's ever been in there after they locked him up in there to rot."

"So you don't know if there's a hidden doorway there?" frowned Sora.

She shook her head. "Sorry. We could go look though. The lock should've rusted so much by now that it'd be easy to enter even without the key."

"That feels like breaking and entering," retorted the prince. The woman smirked at him, making her look a lot younger than she really was.

"No one will care," she replied. "Come, let's go look."

With a nod from the prince, the three made their way out of Ifalna's office and upward through a spiral staircase cordoned off as "Authorized Personnel only". As they slowly continued up, the light grew dimmer and the air moldier. It felt more like they were heading down into underground rather than up into the sky. At the end of the staircase stood a thick wooden door covered in cobwebs. And as Ifalna said, the lock was so rusted that Sora was surprised it still sat in its sockets.

"Allow me, your Highness," said Roxas as he summoned Oblivion. The prince and the historian stepped back as the Nobody brought his Keyblade up then down in an arc, hitting the lock with a powerful force. The lock gave way easily and Roxas kicked the door open, disturbing the dust and air within.

Sora coughed and brought a sleeve up in disgust as the smell of mold and death met his nostrils. Beside him, Ifalna also hid her face behind a handkerchief, her eyes watering with the decrepit aura in the room.

The three then gingerly entered the room, looking about them half filled with revulsion and half filled with desire. The dust lay so thickly that Sora could see the footprints of his Nobody as he ventured further into the circular prison. He summoned his own Keyblade to shed some better light upon the room while Ifalna lifted the torch that she carried higher to help.

They did not need to search long because as soon as Sora lifted his Keyblade above his head, the ground lit up with dim blue light.

Without another word, the three quickly went around clearing the dust on the ground to reveal the intricate circle that laid on the ground. In the middle of the circle was the outline of a keyhole, which shone more brightly than the rest of the floor. Sora pointed his Keyblade at the keyhole and a beam of light shot from the magical weapon into the floor, filling the keyhole and unlocking some mechanism. A door then manifested in front of them and opened into a dark cave.

"Where do you think that leads to?" asked Ifalna.

"Hopefully to the Keyblade," replied Sora. "Go inform Ansem and Mickey of what has occurred here, Ifalna. Roxas and I will go investigate. Hopefully we'll return quickly with the Keyblade."

The royal historian chewed on her lower lip in concern, but as she could no longer help the prince with this possibly dangerous journey into the unknown, she nodded. "I shall do as you command, your Highness. May your return be swift and safe."

"Thank you." Sora then looked at his Nobody and gave him a determined smile. The blond-haired teen nodded and bowed before following his prince into the dark cave, prepared for a battle before the Keyblade.

As they ventured further and further into the cave, they realized that there was only one way they could go. There were no side paths to take, which meant that whatever they will encounter, it would be on their path.

Eventually, they saw in the distance a glimmer of light that flickered like a star. The sound of giant steps met their ears and they knew that they were going to encounter some large creature. Upon entering the large domed room covered in marble, they could see the reason of the flickering light. A strange gargantuan creature stalked about the room with agitation but deadly calculation. When the two entered, the eyes of the monster turned to look at them and Sora was surprised to see unholy glee within those dark depths. A laughter echoed through the room as the monster changed form into that of a semi-hunched back gaunt man with black hair slicked back into a ponytail. A pair of circular-rimmed glasses sat upon his nose and the sneering face of a criminal long since dead stared back at them.

"Oh, how wonderful," the man said with cackling laughter. "'Tis been centuries since I last saw another face, much less a new one."

"How is it possible that you are still alive?"

""Tis because of the Keyblade," he said with another laugh. Sora narrowed his eyes and could see the tendrils of light flowing from the Keyblade and surrounding the evil man. "My life is bound to it," he sneered. "And I must say that I absolutely love it. The power is unlike anything I am experienced before."

"It's a good thing that you remain in here then," retorted the prince as he brought his Keyblade up.

"Nay. I shan't remain in here. With the power of thy Keyblades, I will break free of this miserable prison and conquer the world!"

"You wish, Hojo."

The bespectacled man barked out another laugh before returning to his previous monstrous form. Roxas summoned his Oathkeeper and together, the two Keyblade wielders did battle against the monster man.

As the two teens quickly discovered, the man had enormous strength and the extra appendages he had could easily extend and retract over a long distance. Still, the two Keyblade wielders were not completely at a disadvantage. Even with all his strengths and extra limbs, the gigantic monster was not agile and his movements were predictable as they flailed against the walls of the room, sending powerful shockwaves that shook the foundation of the place. Plaster bits fell from the ceiling with each earthquake and at one point in time, Sora wondered if the place was going to come down around them with each attack from Hojo.

Moreover, despite the man's power, the Keyblade had not imparted protection to the unnatural man. The Keyblades sliced across the skin like butter, parting flesh and tearing open vessels from which black blood spurted forth. Hojo roared as the first cut was made and both teens found the sound to be crippling. Their ears rang long even after the roar had dissipated and they knew that the insane scientist-turned monster knew it as well. Using that to his advantage, Hojo had knocked the pair around more than a few times before they regained their sense of balance and retaliated with fury.

Together, the pair worked as one and it wasn't long before Sora's powerful Keyblade dismembered one of the many appendages that sprouted from the man's back. The limb twitched as it fell onto the ground before stilling. Blood spilled from the open wound and sprayed across the room.

It was after then that the teens found that the attacks of the injured criminal became more erratic and desperate, far more unpredictable than when they first started. The attacks came more swiftly, leaving the teens little time to retaliate. A dodge to the right was immediately followed by a parry of another limb and right after a jump upward as the fists of the monster came down upon the floor. It had essentially become a trial to keep themselves from becoming pummeled by the multiple limbed creature.

Fortunately, the man lacked the battle prowess of the two Keyblade wielders and gradually lost his stamina to keep his attacks going. With a lapse in the attacks, Sora quickly dashed forward at the same time that Roxas did and together, they thrust their magical blades into the man's torso, piercing organs and ending the man's life.

Hojo screamed out a wail of frustration and rage as the power that the Keyblade had imparted upon him faded away. His death wail gurgled with the pool of blood that flowed out of his poring wounds and the man eventually shuddered into death. As his prolonged life had been anything but natural, the flesh rotted away to reveal a grotesque skeleton before the bones too disintegrated into dust, ending the life of the despicable scientist.

The light returned to the Keyblade, making it shine brighter than before. The pair was then finally able to release the tension of the battle from their limbs.

"Whew," a voice came from behind them. Instantly, the pair of jumpy teens spun around with their Keyblades at the ready, preparing for yet another battle. However, instead of someone who would be sneering at them with an evil glint in their eyes, a rather petite young girl with green hair and sparkling gray eyes stared back at them. The smile on her face was full of happiness yet with amusement, as if the girl knew something that they didn't.

"Welcome to the Midgar Station of Awakening," she announced with grand flourish, waving her arms about her rather wildly before letting them rest at her side. Her eyes laid upon them with soul-piercing, crystal clarity.

"Sons of the original three," she ended with a bow.

_

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. __But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: Dun, dun, dun! __The secret's out! Anyone care to guess what Roxas's reaction will be? Haha._

_Anyways, originally I had planned for the entire battle between Sora and Roxas versus Hojo to be much shorter than what I've written, which also meant that Hojo would have a much smaller role in the entire fic. But, unfortunately, having a short fight made the chapter much too short for my liking, so I ended up expanding it. As you can obviously see, I don't think much about Hojo, hehe. Also, I opted to make him speak Shakespearean English rather than Modern English simply to emphasize the fact that Hojo has lived for hundreds of years. And since Shakespearean English doesn't use the present perfect form (to have done something), Hojo says "I am experienced" rather than "I have experienced"._

_A quick explanation linking chapter 3 to this chapter (the pictures of the Keyblades in the cave): while people have seen how the Keyblades looked when they were being used by the Three, they didn't know where the Keyblades were hidden after the great battle against the Heartless was won. The organization that the girl in the end of this chapter is in has ensured that the locations of the Keyblades are kept secret. That's why Sora had to do research to find the Keyblades._

_Finally, I have a favor to ask of all my reviewers. While I'm glad to hear that you like the fic/chapter, I can't really think of any good responses to the reviews when it's just that. If possible, I would like to know what you like, what you didn't like, what needs clarification, etc, anything that would make me think and possibly elaborate on further in a future chapter. Hopefully I won't say one thing in the reviews and then write another in the fic, haha. Of course, if you guys would prefer the overused "Glad you liked it" or something along the lines (which would make the pre-chapter "babble" shorter, I will have to admit), then by all means, keep sending me the same reviews, XD. _

_Oh, by the way, for my readers who are waiting for the next chapter of _The Intrigues of Sora Kazano_, I am happy to announce that I am working on the chapter and it's progressing quite well. Look forward to it._


	11. The Truth Comes Tumbling Out

_To reviewers of Chapter 9 (Preemptive apologies for long replies):_

_DarkBombayAngel: That they did, hehe. They'll be finding more Keyblades as time goes on of course, XP._

_Chronos Mephistopheles: While I understand that it would be nice to see things from Roxas's point of view, at this point in time however, it would be rather difficult for me to write one single chapter just from his point of view. It would be rather bland and objective since Roxas doesn't have much of an opinion on anything still. However, I do have one chapter planned in the future where we follow Roxas instead of Sora. I don't want to spoil too much as to when it will happen, but hopefully it'll be insightful to Roxas as a Nobody and later on as someone like Naminé, Axel, and Demyx._

_Sepiroth Darkness: Haha, yeah. Hojo's certainly not one for world domination, but it's nice to pin him as a clichéd bad guy, XD. Strangely enough, I felt like the complicated map turns out to be not so complicated after Sora and Roxas figured it out. I don't know, maybe I'm thinking that I made Sora and Roxas smarter than they've been portrayed in the game, haha._

_dark-ranmaru: By no means am I abandoning the _Sora Kazano_ project. It's just hard for me to try to write in two different styles of writing at once while ironing out all the details within each fic, XD. You could say I'm lazy like that, hehe._

_LupinandHarry: Glad to know you liked it. Hopefully this chapter's just as good._

_Sky91: I thought it was decently written, but if you liked it, that's good enough for me (wink). Thanks for all the compliments._

_iOchibi: While it is implied that it is about Sora helping Roxas rediscover his heart, I felt like there needs to be a journey for them to discover themselves. While this journey is mainly for Sora, it is for Roxas at the same time. More interaction between Sora and Roxas will come in the following chapters, so just wait, 'kay? Hehe._

_Azuresapphire15: No problem. Thanks for reviewing._

_DG a.k.a Demon Gurl: Button mashing fight, go! It does feel like gameplay doesn't it, lol._

_Exposed-x-Chrysalis: I don't know if I fixed whatever little thing it was before I decided to write this comment, but I can't find whatever it is/was now, haha. Ifalna is a rather weird name, isn't it? XP_

_Hero Of The Hazard: Thanks for the compliments. X3_

**

* * *

Chapter 10 – The Truth Comes Tumbling Out**

* * *

Sora's entire body stilled upon hearing the words that the girl had uttered. Gulping down a lump of discomfort, he dared a glance at his Nobody, relaxing upon seeing the apathetic look upon his Nobody's face. Yet at the same time, his heart fell at the sight. He wished that Roxas would at least be angry, mad, or confused about what the girl who stood in front of them had said. But instead, Roxas seemed uncaring that he could've been royalty at one point in time.

The prince forced himself to look back at the girl, who seemed to be waiting for his obvious questions.

"Who are you?" he asked. "How do you know us?"

"I am called Fenrir, one of the Chasers," she said simply.

"The Chasers? I thought the art was lost ages ago," frowned Sora, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

The girl named Fenrir simply laughed. "That's only because we made it that way after the Heartless was beaten back to their homelands at the End of the World. The Three had agreed that the time of the Keyblades will come again when the Heartless returned. Until then, the Chasers were sent underground to guard the Keyblades."

"Do you have a Keyblade?" His curiosity was certainly piqued. After all, if the girl said who she said she was, then she obviously has a Keyblade.

"I thought you'd never ask," she grinned. The Chaser stretched out her left arm in front of her and a stream of numbers and letters appeared in a column from her hand in both directions. Sora had expected the Keyblade to appear with a "whoosh" like it does with his and Roxas's, but instead, the sound of what seemed like birds chirping accompanied the appearance of Fenrir's artificial Keyblade.

Unlike their Keyblades, the one that the green-haired girl wielded shone with gold, silver, and bronze. The curves of the weapon seemed to lack the natural aesthetics of a magical Keyblade; instead, the entire weapon simply looked artificial with each part of the Keyblade having a utilitarian look to it. Furthermore, Fenrir's Keyblade was double-bladed such that instead of being an extension of her arm like Sora's Keyblade, one blade extended forward while the other curved towards her elbow like a glaive.

The teeth of the Keyblade pointed outward from the tips of the weapon, making the weapon look absolutely fascinating for Sora. What was even more intriguing was the lack of glow around the weapon. While Sora's Ultima Weapon glowed with a white aura, Roxas's Oblivion with a blue glow and Oathkeeper with a silvery light, there was no such light generating characteristic with Fenrir's Keyblade.

"There's no Keychain," he commented, blushing upon realizing the rather obvious statement.

"No," she smiled. "There is none. That is the trademark of the Chaser Keyblades. They have no Keychains and thus are capable of being destroyed.

"You are named after the Keyblade," said Roxas. Sora looked at the blond-haired boy, rather surprised at his Nobody's sudden statement. However, he saw that Roxas had a point; the Keyblade that was housed in this domed room was the Fenrir Keyblade after all.

The green-haired girl nodded with a smile. "Yes. It is traditional for the Chasers to be named after the Keyblades."

"But your real name _isn't_ Fenrir, is it?"

The girl shook her head, "You'd be right to assume that. But it's been such a long time since I've last used it." She hummed softly in thought, trying to recall her own name.

"How long ago was that?" asked Sora.

"Well, I think it must've been at least a century ago."

The prince goggled at the girl. "You can't possibly be that old," he said incredulously.

She giggled. "I've been alive since the original Three battled the Heartless," she said simply. "But, if you wish to call my by my real name, it's Coral."

"Coral, huh?" said Sora thoughtfully. The girl simply gave him a smile.

"Anyways, that's enough chitchat for now. We'll take this conversation to my place."

She gestured for them to follow her through a passageway that they hadn't noticed before, most likely because Hojo had blocked their view of the small doorway previously.

As they passed through the small passageway, warmth slowly surrounded them as they eventually entered a sunlit room. The floor was marbled with a familiar design while the ceiling was far above their heads, composed of stained glass. Their shoes clicked and clacked against the polished floor. A ladder stood against the natural rock wall of the circular room leading up onto the second floor that was cut into the rock. The entire place looked quite primitive yet homey at the same time.

"Don't you get lonely?" asked Sora as he looked about the spacious area.

"Nope," she replied, hanging a rather large steel teapot over an open flame. "The others visit every once in awhile. Besides," she snorted, "I had to deal with that monster of a man."

"Can't he come in here?" asked Sora.

"There's a barrier around the Station of Awakening. Only those with the untainted blood of the Three may enter and exit the room. I can access the room freely since it's under my protection." She finished setting the table for tea. "Come, sit."

"How could Hojo enter the Station then?" he frowned. "Does that mean the blood of one of the Three flows within him?"

"You've heard of his notorious experiments haven't you?" she commented. Sora nodded solemnly.

"Well, during the time that he was the assistant royal healer in Twilight Town, he had access to the blood of the prince of that time. With that vial of tissue, he was able to incorporate the DNA of the royal prince into himself. And thus, he could enter the Station of Awakening."

"How did he find out about this place?" the prince asked, taking a sip of the soothing tea.

"Back then, the locations of the Keyblades were still well known to the royal family. Hojo knew it and exploited the fact, using the elderly king's slowly weakening will to gain knowledge of the place. Of course, he had murdered the king shortly after with an overdose of foxglove once he and the king had entered." The girl looked down at her cup shamefully. "I would know. I did nothing to help the poor man."

"Why didn't you attempt to stop him from corrupting the Keyblade?" asked Roxas, once again surprising Sora with his blunt questions.

"I couldn't. Fenrir the Keyblade holds power far beyond the capabilities of my own. Yes, I would've been able to battle against it, but I had decided to dedicate my powers to keeping the man within the Station rather than attempt to battle Hojo myself. My Keyblade is an extension of my powers; with my powers delegated in keeping him in, my Keyblade's much weaker before than it is now that that man's dead."

"I see. You didn't want to risk shattering your Keyblade when Hojo has Fenrir on his side."

The green-haired girl nodded solemnly.

The silence that followed was rather awkward yet strangely comforting to Sora. As he stirred his tea, many questions flittered past his head; all of them he wished to ask yet did not have the proper words and phrasings for them.

"What will happen to this place once I take the Keyblade?" his unusually quiet voice seemed to still the air around them instantly; a fear seeped through his voice—fear not for himself, but for the girl that sat across the table from him. Coral's grey eyes snapped back open as she took a drink from her tea cup. She let out a sigh from which Sora could find no meaning in and replaced her cup on the saucer with a clink.

"I do not know," she confessed sadly. "It is likely that this place will crumble without the Keyblade's presence. After all, there is no need for the Station when the Keyblade it's meant to house is gone."

"But, isn't this place linked to Midgar?"

"While its entry is indeed in Midgar, this place is not in the metropolis," she smiled, albeit somewhat sadly. "In fact, where we are now is known to none but the Chasers—the floating continent, Levan.

"Then, part of the continent will collapse when I take the Keyblade?" breathed Sora with trepidation.

"That is most likely to happen," nodded Coral. "This continent has been created solely for the purpose of safeguarding the Keyblades. Once the world needs the Keyblades, then Levan will cease to exist."

"What will happen to you though? Where will you go?" frowned Sora.

"I must admit that I will miss this place and I had never expected this Station to be the first to go, I would've thought that either the Traverse Town or Nibelheim Station would go before my own," she laughed at that. "But don't worry, just because this place is gone, that doesn't mean I will. Not until the next generation of Chasers are chosen."

Sora opened his mouth to say more but Coral raised a hand to silence him. "It is not your place to have to worry about where I go after this place is gone."

The prince set his lips in a thin line. Although he found the entire situation to be unsavory—after all, he was going to destroy someone's home, it was highly unlikely that Coral would let him leave this place without taking the Keyblade. It was the purpose of his presence here, wasn't it?

The brown-haired teen began to wonder if there was any need for him to have these Keyblades when he already had his Ultima Weapon. He was beginning to think that everything he has done up to this point has all been just a waste of time.

"I know you must be wondering why you should take these Keyblades," Coral said with a smile.

Sora nodded an affirmative. "That and what's the difference between these particular Keyblades and the ones that we wield in battle."

"The Keyblades that are kept in these Stations of Awakening are the Keyblades of the world. They are the keys to seal the Heartless away from our own world."

"So whether I like it or not, I can't leave without the Keyblades if I want to seal the Heartless away, right?"

"That is correct."

Sora sighed deeply, earning himself a giggle from the green-haired girl.

"Let me give you a history about the Chasers, the Keyblades, and, most importantly, the Heartless."

_

* * *

A long, long time ago—I've forgotten how many centuries have passed already, the world was very much like how it exists now. Of course, technologically it was not as advanced, but magic was commonplace. The countries themselves were not as large as they are now; in fact, each village and town that is in existence right now was its own sovereignty back then with their village leaders and elders._

_Destiny Islands hadn't been discovered and Midgar boasted only a mere two thousand denizens—a far cry from the upwards to a million people that live there today. Hollow Bastion, what is known as Radiant Garden today, was only a small village of some three hundred while Twilight Town was known as the Twilight Outpost back then, home to only the hardiest fifty who kept an eye upon the End of the World._

_Indeed, the outpost was rarely frequented by merchants and the soldiers who lived there were among the most strong-hearted of all soldiers. A perpetual sunset adorned the sky with its crimson sun and the sky bled red against the darkness that brewed across the sea._

_Yet, life was peaceful throughout the world. And the Chasers were well recognized in all of the countries. We were based in Mount Nibelheim, where a thriving population settled as more and more people came for our services. In one sense, you could say that we ruled the world. (She laughed at this.) Our blades were forged within the mountains under starry skies and soldiers throughout the world wielded them. It was an age where the Keyblade became synonymous with the army._

_Still, we didn't let the knowledge that the world relied upon our blades get to our heads. We were protectors of the world and we allowed the villages to act as they saw fit while our eyes turned toward the darkness that followed the sun._

_Of course, there were a few of us who thought we should use our powers to dominate the world. They were subsequently exiled from the order and their craft sealed away within obsidian crystals that we locked up within an underground vault, never to return to the renegades and used for evil._

_Peace stayed until the Heartless came._

_No one besides the Chasers and the Three knew how it happened. Darkness covered the skies with ominous clouds and the Heartless thrived beneath the unnatural night. They preyed upon the innocent hearts of the people, snuffing out light left and right; one by one, unsuspecting villages fell to the might of the Heartless._

_Fear and paranoia crept through the prolonged night like prowling panthers. Laughter and chatter gave way to silence and rumors of other neighboring villages casting this evil magic upon the world. It wasn't until when war threatened to break out between the larger cities which would've spelled the doom of this world that three siblings came. From the distant far north we know now as the Northern Crater, the Three brought with them a light that never flickered and an unwavering hope for a future without the Heartless._

_The Keyblades that we provided them with changed with their touch, turning into the magical Keyblades of the world. The leaders of my order were bestowed these Keyblades: Fenrir, Rumbling Rose, Hidden Dragon, and Guardian Soul to name a few. Though their potential would never be realized in our hands, they were powerful enough to allow us to assist the Three in their fight against the Heartless._

_Under their light, we rallied against the darkness and hope returned to the villages with the dawning of day._

_Once potential opponents, alliances were formed under the guidance of the Three and the countries that we know now began to take shape. A large army was gathered at Twilight Outpost and there, we defeated the last remaining legion of Heartless and the invaders returned to their world beyond the End of the World._

_Before the rising sun, the battle-wearied soldiers cheered and celebrated before returning to their homes with joyful news. The Three true Keyblade masters congregated with the remaining Chasers, of which there were only a handful of us, and together we made the ultimate decision to protect the Keyblades and to disappear completely from the world once the Three had passed on their powers to their children._

_While Terra the Eldest stayed in Twilight Outpost to keep his vigil upon the darkness, thus establishing Twilight Town as people flocked to his light from nearby settlements, Aqua the Middle returned to Hollow Bastion to rebuild the ravaged town that had been decimated by Heartless attack. Ventus the Youngest roamed the world until he came to the protected harbor that was to become the bustling port of Traverse Town and from the top of one of the cliffs espied a group of pristine islands in the distance._

* * *

"I remember this story," said Sora. "Many people had thought King Ventus was insane for they could not see the islands. But others knew that he had a very keen eyesight and so could see things that wouldn't normally be seen."

"That's right," said Coral with a smile. "I was amongst one of the few who knew and had followed him to Destiny Islands. It was there were the first Ultima Weapon had been created."

Sora looked at her with slight confusion, uncomprehending what she just said.

The girl giggled before answering. "Yours is the thirteenth incarnate of the Ultima Weapon."

The brown-haired teen frowned slightly, almost pouting, as if grumbling about the fact that he wasn't the first owner of the powerful Keyblade. Coral simply laughed in response.

_

* * *

While the rest of the world returned to harmony, the Three and their Chasers only began their defense against the darkness that desired to return and devour the light. For many weeks at a time, the Three would meet in Twilight Town and set sail toward the End of the World to search for any remnants or clues left behind by the Heartless and the elusive instigator who had released the Heartless upon the world. For the man responsible had only been defeated but not captured. Instead, he had disappeared with the Heartless when we pursued him to the End of the World._

* * *

"Someone was responsible?" asked Sora with shock. Coral nodded firmly.

"There is only one person who has the ability to unleash the Heartless unto the world."

"But, Maleficent," started Sora, but the green-haired girl cut him off.

"She, like all the others within this Bastion Imperialist group, has been bestowed the power to command the Heartless. Surely you have heard that the witch does not work alone at the top of her organization."

"I've suspected, but haven't really heard per se."

Coral snorted. "That's unusual for the man. Have you heard of the name 'Xehanort'?"

"Xehanort?" questioned Sora. "It does sound familiar…"

"Ienzo uttered the name before he escaped, your Highness," said Roxas.

"Not just that. It's also the same name for the man who had trained the first Nobody," said Sora with a deep frown.

The Chaser gave a mirthless chuckle. "Yes. They are the same person," she answered.

"What?" blurted Sora with disbelief. He goggled at the girl as if daring her to retract her former statement and confess that she was joking.

"You heard me right," she said instead. "Xehanort is, first and foremost, a Chaser like myself."

_

* * *

In fact, he was, and still is, the very first Chaser. It was his brilliant mind and resourcefulness that allowed him to forge the very first artificial Keyblade, combining magic and technology to create these weapons. It was also him who recognized the fact that only people with specific traits could forge the Keyblades and so he sought us out, creating the establishment of the Chasers. We were thus named because we sought the perfection that we could never achieve: the creation of the magical Keyblades that would never shatter or break._

_Ironically, it was this ambition to seek the perfection that led to the man's downfall. As he delved deeper into the magic at work in the forging of the Keyblades, the further he strayed from the light and the Chasers' original purpose. He turned to the Darkness and conducted his experiments in secret. His deception was so great that we didn't discover his treachery until the after the Heartless came._

_He evaded our capture and remained a Chaser. When the three passed on, their powers allowed the Chasers to live as immortals; as Xehanort was still bound to the Chaser organization, they inadvertently allowed him to live forever as well._

_It was centuries later that we heard the name "Xehanort" again. It was then that we realized that the man now is an immortal like us and we had no way of stopping him. He had turned into a heartless bastard and, in turn, created the tradition to rob people of their feelings, making them like himself._

* * *

"Why didn't you try to stop him when you guys found out?" frowned Sora.

"We couldn't," laughed Coral sardonically. "As immortals, we had promised not to interfere with the affairs of the world below. Could you imagine how the rest of the world would react when they find out that the Chasers exist and are immortal? There would be a great upheaval. All the countries would flock to us for our skills. War would break out between neighboring countries to seek our favor. No," she said solemnly, "it was the best course of action for us to remain on Levan and abide our time."

"Besides," she smirked, "by not interfering, we prevented Xehanort from realizing that the Chasers are still alive and guarding the Keyblades that he surely must've desired. Not to mention, if we had stopped Xehanort back then, who knows if you two would have ever me in this life."

Although she hadn't stated the obvious, Sora blushed at the hidden meaning behind those words, earning himself a girlish giggle from Coral. He dared a glance at Roxas, who didn't seem at all flustered by the words; to be expected, Sora supposed, from the Nobody who never actually had a life.

He resisted the urge to sigh and cleared his throat instead to stop the green-haired girl from laughing even more. "Now that we're done making fun at my expense, what should we do now?"

"Well, my task is at an end now that you've come to take Fenrir, but now I have a new task."

"And that is?"

"To seek out Mickey Mouse," she grinned.

"Lord Mickey? What for?" Sora's eyebrows were raised with curiosity.

"Believe it or not, Mickey is one of the Chasers," she replied simply, standing up in preparation for her departure from her home of the past centuries.

"What!?"

"Yup," replied Coral. "He was actually the very first one that Xehanort had found back then." She stopped in her task. "If it wasn't for Mickey, half of the Chasers on this continent wouldn't have been here right now." She shook the sad memories away and resumed packing, though Sora realized that she seemed much more absent-minded than before.

"If Mickey is a Chaser, then how come he's doing research on the Bastion Imperialists? He surely must've known everything about them."

"While Mickey is a Chaser, the simple fact that he's living in your world proves that there must be some sacrifices to be made, right? To let you know, about three years prior to your birth, rumors of Xehanort's return from the darkness after he introduced the Nobodies to the world began to arise again. It was also then that the reappearances of the Shadows were spotted in the End of the World and later in the various towns on the coast nearest to the End of the World.

"One year after the rumors started, the Bastion Imperialists began their first attempt at world domination. We discovered that somehow Maleficent was able to command the Shadows. That was when we knew that the rumors were true. Though we never knew how Maleficent managed to get her hands on the Shadows, but let's just say that the Imperialists nearly managed to succeed in their conquest if it wasn't for your parents."

"Because the Shadows can't be destroyed without the Keyblades, right?" said Sora.

"Exactly. It was then that Mickey decided that he was going to go down and help the world. He's still immortal, but it was decided that he forgets everything about the Chasers until the time is right."

"And that time has come." Coral nodded as she tied up the traveling bag.

"Wouldn't Xehanort have known that you were all alive when he hears about Lord Mickey?" frowned Sora as the possibility dawned on him.

"Not really," she said simply as she adjusted her pack on her shoulder. "As you can see, Lord Mickey is from the Disney Kingdom to the far south, where people rarely venture to due to the isolationist stance that King Pete has taken nowadays. The denizens of Disney Kingdom are long-lived and look very similar to their own kinds. That was another reason why we allowed Mickey to go down. Even if Xehanort saw him, to him, the mouse-lord's just a descendant of one of the Mouses from Disney Kingdom."

"Oh," replied Sora.

"Well then," said Coral as silence befell them, "shall we go get your Keyblade?"

"Mm, sure," the prince answered rather absent-mindedly; his brain still wrapped around the knowledge that Lord Mickey is an immortal like the girl that walked in front of him.

As Coral led Sora and Roxas back down the ladder and through the narrow passageway back to the Station of Awakening, the brown-haired teen couldn't help but wonder if and when the Chasers would ever die or were they fated to live forever, doomed to watch the world pass them by as new friends grow old and die before they do until the end of this world. The thought was a somber one. Still, he realized that despite this obvious depressing idea, Coral seemed strangely carefree and optimistic. Perhaps she knew something that he didn't.

He was about to ask her his question when they reentered the Station and the reality that he was about to destroy this place came back in full force. The Keyblade hovered a few inches above the center of the Station and remained as bright as before. Sora swallowed down a lump of discomfort and slowly walked over to the Keyblade. His hand trembled as he reached out to touch the Keyblade, thoughts of doubt and fear swam through his mind, keeping him from confidently taking the magical weapon.

One single finger came in touch with the weapon and a white light blazed through the Station. All thoughts of doubt and fear were banished from Sora's mind as he felt strength and hope for the future coursing through his body. He could feel the power of the Keyblade and his eyes lit brightly; the Keyblade had recognized its master and embraced the prospect of being in use once again.

A laugh bubbled from his lips and he swung the powerful Keyblade about him, leaving a trail of sparkles in the air that rained down upon the now diminished Station. Sora dismissed Fenrir with a flash of light, grasping the Keychain tightly and smiled. The light within the room faded with the Keyblade gone and the room returned into the cave that it originally was.

Behind him, Coral breathed a sigh, which immediately grabbed Sora's attention.

"Sorry," he muttered.

She chuckled lightly. "Don't be. It was fated to end this way. At least we know that the cave didn't collapse."

Sora smiled at her optimism. "That is true." He made to leave the place from the other hallway through which Roxas and he had first entered the Station.

"Where are you going?" asked Coral with slight confusion. Both boys turned to regard her with their own version of confusion on their faces.

"Getting out of here. I did tell Ifalna to inform Ansem and Mickey about this place."

"I can take us to Mickey faster than they can get to us," grinned the green-haired girl. She brushed away a strand of stray hair from her face and held her hand out towards Sora. "And as far as I'm concerned, time is not a luxury that we have. So, come, take my hand. You too, Roxas."

When both of the teens took her proffered hands simultaneously, she couldn't help but giggle softly. "They're so much alike," she murmured before clearing her throat. With a resounding voice, she announced, "Teleport: Mickey Mouse." The voice echoed through the room as numbers and letters surrounded them in a pillar. The sight of Station was soon blocked by the white pillar as numbers and letters collided against one another and Sora had expected the ground to drop out beneath him, but no such thing happened.

The sound of birds chirping met Sora's ears before the mesh of white light unraveled and faded away.

Sora's eyes widened with shock upon seeing where they had ended up. The sight and smell were familiar to the prince of Destiny Islands as he has been in the room many times in the past, but the fact that they were now in the study of Lord Mickey of Radiant Garden when they were just a week's journey away in Midgar made it seem impossible for them to have covered such a great distance within a few seconds.

"Oh good, you're alone. It would've been awfully awkward to have to explain our presence here," said the green-haired girl.

"How did we do that?" asked Sora.

"One of the few perks of being a Chaser." Her smile was peaceful and soft as she regarded the mouse-lord in front of her. "Looks like your memory block's started to disintegrate, Mickey."

"W-what?" blurted the mouse with confusion. Coral simply pointed at the Chaser Keyblade that was in Mickey's right hand. He looked at his hand and jumped in surprise at the sight.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed. He quickly shook his head to regard them more seriously. After all, Sora and his companions had literally appeared out of nowhere when the named boy was supposed to be a week's journey away in Midgar. While he easily recognized the prince of Destiny Islands and his Nobody, the girl that was with them, with her long blue overcoat and sleek leather suit, was unknown yet strangely familiar to him.

"What's going on here, Sora? Aren't you supposed to be in Midgar?" he decided to ask, placing the Keyblade that he had somehow summoned on the desk. A frown was on his mouse face as he looked from the prince to the strange girl.

"I supposed that this is a good time to launch into an explanation," she replied. "You might want to sit down, Mickey."

"Should I go speak with Ansem?" asked the prince to the green-haired girl. She shook her head.

"Best to keep this to ourselves for now," she said. "I'll be taking you back to Midgar after we're finished here."

Sora nodded silently and took a seat himself. Roxas simply stood behind his master in silence.

"Right then, I believe some introduction is in order to start out with," Coral grinned. "I am Coral, one of the 'mythical' Chasers. You, my dear, is also a Chaser. In fact…"

While Coral launched into an explanation of the entire story regarding the Chasers—some of which Sora's already heard from her own lips, while other were obviously meant more for Mickey than for Sora's ears, the prince of Destiny Islands couldn't help but wonder about the two Chasers in front of him.

"Roxas," he said softly.

"Yes, your Highness?" inquired his Nobody, leaning down to speak in an equally soft voice as Sora was.

"What do you think will happen to the Chasers after all of this is over?"

"What do you mean by that, sire?" Sora could detect a hint of actual confusion behind Roxas's words, but the feeling passed as quickly as it had come.

"Do you think they will die?"

"Wouldn't it be best if you asked a Chaser that?" replied the Nobody.

"That's not an answer," frowned Sora. "Besides, I want to know what _you_ think."

"If you are wondering if they will live forever, then my answer is, I do not think so."

"No?" Sora seemed somewhat taken aback by Roxas's answer.

"No. I believe that before the end is near, there will be some Chasers who have died to the Imperialists while the rest will eventually die like the rest of us. No matter how great the power of the Three Keyblade Masters was, I do not believe that they had intended for their friends to live forever with the prospect of death an impossibility."

"So what you are saying is that the Chasers can be killed. They can only live such a long life is because they do not suffer from any fatal illnesses or suffer any grievous wounds that would cost them their lives. Is that right?"

"That is exactly what I mean sire," replied Roxas as he subtly nodded. "From my observations of the Chaser, I don't doubt that she knows exactly when she will die. In fact, I have reason to believe that she will embrace her death with enthusiasm."

"Death is simply another adventure, isn't it, Roxas?" smirked Sora.

"For some, it is. For others, who knows, your Highness."

The prince of Destiny Islands chuckled at Roxas's words. Although the Nobody had remained relatively inert in his outward appearances, Sora could tell that the Nobody was gradually warming up to the idea of expressing his feelings. The hope that his Nobody will become normal greatly excited him.

"Just Sora," the prince said after a short moment of silence between the two. Coral continued to chatter on to Mickey and didn't seem like she was going to stop any time soon.

"Sire?" asked Roxas, the confusion in his voice was back.

"When we are alone, just call me Sora. No need for formalities between friends."

"I…" Roxas trailed off. "I cannot be your friend, your Highness."

Sora scoffed. "No way. You have become a close friend of mine for the past month, Roxas. And besides, just because I might treat you as an equal in terms of status, that doesn't mean you can't protect me or carry out your services."

"If that is your wish, then I shall do my best to be your friend, your-" Sora shot him a look that instantly cut the Nobody off. "I mean, Sora."

The prince smiled.

"And I shall do my best to be _your_ friend, Roxas."

It had taken Coral thirty minutes of nearly nonstop talking to get Mickey caught up to the Chasers' current status. In that time, Sora had marveled at the girl's ability to talk for that long, stopping only to ask Mickey if he were following her. At the end of the entire thing, she pulled off a necklace that she had been wearing about her neck and handed it over to the mouse-lord.

"You know, Coral," said Mickey as he accepted the Keyblade charm that was attached to the necklace. Instantly, a Keyblade strangely similar to that of the Kingdom Key appeared in his hand with a flash of white. "You could've saved all that trouble just by giving me this in the first place."

The green-haired Chaser flushed with embarrassment before realizing what the mouse had just said. "You remembered everything!" she exclaimed, giving Mickey a giant hug and nearly knocking the smaller mouse down.

Sora smiled at the warm reunion between two friends before frowning with serious thoughts.

"What should I do now, Mickey?" he ventured a question.

"Hmm," Mickey replied with his eyes downcast in solemn thought. "I think it would be best if you and Roxas returned to Midgar and continued your search for the Keyblades. You will need all of them before the end if we are to see the Heartless forever banished from this world."

"What about you guys?"

"I think we're in mutual agreement that we depart for the End of the World at once after we drop you guys off at Midgar," answered Coral. "We're going to keep an eye on Xehanort, who is undoubtedly commanding his legions of Heartless from that dreary place."

"Are you not going to tell Ansem the wise about your identity?" questioned Sora. "Wouldn't he wonder why you decided to leave all of a sudden?"

Mickey laughed at the comment. "No. Ansem knows that I'm prone to disappear for a few weeks to a few months at a time to spy on the Imperialists. He also knows that I won't let him go with me to Midgar to help you anyways. Besides, the king and queen of Radiant Garden will need his assistance in keeping their kingdom safe."

"Ah!" exclaimed Sora. "That reminds me. Shouldn't I get the Keyblade from Radiant Garden while I'm here?"

"There's no need for that," replied Mickey simply.

"What?"

"Kairi already has the Keyblade."

Coral giggled at Sora's shocked expression. "I forgot to mention this fact. The Keyblades at Radiant Garden, Twilight Town, and Destiny Islands have always been part of the royal family rather than kept within Stations of Awakening on Levan. The Three had originally thought to lock Way to the Dawn, Lily of the Valley, and the Ultima Weapon in their respective Stations, but we convinced them to keep them unlocked, to be passed down from one generation to the next. And because of this, they are not Keyblades of the world, but rather of the Three themselves."

"What about Oathkeeper and Oblivion?" asked Sora, eying his Nobody from the corner of his vision.

"Similar to the three Keyblades that you and your friends wield, Oathkeeper was Terra's gift to Aqua while Oblivion was for Ventus. They were returned to the Twilight Town royal family after Ventus and Aqua died because there was no need for those Keyblades when they already have Lily of the Valley and the Ultima Weapon," answered the mouse-lord.

"While the two Keyblades remained at Twilight Town for sometime," continued Coral while Mickey went about gathering his stuff for the journey, "they were still given to the younger sibling in situations where there was more than one heir to the royal throne. Interestingly, most of the sibling occurrences were in Twilight Town with no more than three children vying for the throne at any one time. Having multiple heirs was rare in Radiant Garden and Destiny Islands but not in Twilight Town, but there were still occasions when that happened. Then either Oathkeeper or Oblivion would be sent to that kingdom to be given to the younger child at his coming of age ceremony."

"That tradition must've stopped…" Sora trailed off, unsure whether he should continue the line of conversation.

"Yes. It stopped when _that_ had happened," replied Mickey, knowing that Sora understood which event he was referring to. "When the elder son had 'died' in the hunting accident, the Way of the Dawn naturally went to the younger son. However, he continued to use Oathkeeper and Oblivion as his choice of weapons until he became king. At that time, he ceased to use the two Keyblades and no one ever questioned where they had gone. Everyone believed that he had kept the Keyblades as a reminder of his former situation had the two brothers not completed their deception."

"Then how did-?" Mickey raised a hand to cut Sora off.

"In actuality, he had sent Oathkeeper and Oblivion to his brother as a gift upon his coronation as King of Twilight Town. It was more of a gesture of protection, though, to assuage his fears that his brother and his family would be safer with the Keyblades than without. It was also a sign of royalty to prove their bloodline if any emergency required intervention from Twilight Town."

"Have any of his descendants resented their ancestors for abandoning the life of luxury and condemning them to a life of servitude?"

"It is likely that they will have fanciful dreams of being princes and princesses. But since there had been no reports of someone claiming to be the true heir of Twilight Town, it is most likely that they grew out of the dreams," answered Coral emphatically.

"That and the knowledge that if their ancestor had not escaped his fate in Twilight Town, none of them would be alive," added Mickey. "The parents most likely drilled it into their children's heads that it was better to stay anonymous as servants rather than to be written in history as a bad leader."

"Shall we go then?" asked Coral upon seeing Mickey's preparation complete. The mouse-lord nodded.

The four made a circle and hold each others' hands in preparation for their journey back to Midgar. With one voice, Mickey and Coral uttered the words "Teleport: Midgar", resulting in a flash of light as they departed from Radiant Garden as quickly as they had arrived.

_

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: This feels like a filler chapter… Unfortunately, I believe it would be better to have everything cleared up right now rather than further down the line. For anyone who was hoping for more Sora and Roxas time, sorry that there wasn't much here. The next chapter will have more interaction between the pair and will be an interlude of sorts. An earlier character will also be making his appearance here._

_On another note, I have to say that I'm not a fan of non-canon characters unless situation necessitates it. Here, since I've pretty much set up all of the characters in Kingdom Hearts in roles already, I thought it would be best to introduce new characters/names as the Chasers. There won't be many that end up interacting with Sora though as you will find out why later on in the story. Also, I opted not to use the older English style for Coral's (and consequently all the other Chasers') speech namely because she has had contact with the rest of the world for the past years while Hojo obviously was deprived of such human contacts._

_In terms of updates for _The Intrigues of Sora Kazano_ and _Beautiful Blue_, I've started to write the next chapter for _Intrigues_ but it will take awhile before I actually update. Right now, I haven't got any plans to work on another drabble for _Beautiful Blue_, but that may change depending on inspirations. If need be, I can start a forum or a yahoogroup so people can get updates for progress for current fics; otherwise, you guys will just have to wait, XP._


	12. Death

_To reviewers of Chapter 10:_

_DarkBombayAngel: Remember that in this fic, Mickey Mouse isn't a king; he's only a mere lord in Radiant Garden. In fact, at that moment in time, the king of Disney Kingdom is Pete for reasons I care not to elaborate—just think of it as an authoress' whim, hehe. Whether Mickey was an actual king before Xehanort found him, I'll leave it up to you._

_Sepiroth Darkness: Technically it's Xehanort and not Xemnas, but the Xemnas incarnate of Xehanort will show up in some form in the fic. I'd rather not spoil though, hehe. Hope that this chapter satisfied your wait._

_LupinandHarry: Roxas is changing for the better! Ya!_

_Exposed-x-Chrysalis: At least it isn't pointless filler, right? XD_

_iOchibi: Coral is a bit hyper-ish in my mind. She's the best person to introduce everyone to the Chasers simply because of her personality I believe. There are other Chasers that will show up in this fic, some of whom will contrast Coral dramatically just to show that the Chasers aren't all happy-go-lucky. As to the Sora/Roxas moments, I'm hoping to incorporate more, but it's still going to take awhile for their relationship to build up well._

_Azuresapphire15: Thanks for the compliment. While that did make me think about writing an original novel just for fun and maybe for publication, I think I'll wait until I have more time to deal with that, haha._

_Hero Of The Hazard: I guess I wasn't clear enough when Mickey accepted the Keyblade from Coral. Mickey wasn't pretending not to remember anything that Coral told him. But rather, if Coral had handed him the Keyblade in the first place, all of his memories of the Chasers would've returned to him. Basically, the Chasers had locked Mickey's memories in the magical Keyblade that the Three bestowed upon him and safeguarded on Levan until it was time for Mickey to rejoin their ranks. Maybe I should've included a little bit of something-actually-happening to signify the recognition of the Keyblade to Mickey and thus the restoration of his memories to him._

_

* * *

Warning: This chapter contains some gory details._

**

* * *

Chapter 11 – Death**

* * *

When Ifalna had returned to the top of the tower where the mysterious door was, she was shocked to find that it had already disappeared. Concern ate at her mind and she paced about the circular room, worrying about the prince and his Nobody.

As she was about to make her umpteenth round around the room, a white light caught her eye and she saw the ground illuminating once again. The blue light from the keyhole shot up into the middle of the room and formed the outline of a door. The doors opened and out stepped Sora and Roxas.

"Oh my god, your Highness!" exclaimed Ifalna. "You're alright!"

Sora grinned that the royal librarian. "That I am. I've also brought the Keyblade with me."

"I've notified Lord Ansem and Lord Mickey about what you discovered. Mickey is on his way here right now and wishes for you to remain in Midgar."

"Oh, I've-" Sora was about to say that he had already seen Mickey and informed him of everything when he remembered that he was to keep the existence of Chasers still under wraps. He chewed on his lower lip as he quickly thought of a response.

"Your Highness?" inquired the brown-haired woman with worry.

"Sorry," said Sora as he scratched the back of his head with a nervous laugh. "It's just that I've already decided to not linger in Midgar and continue onto Revenant Wings. I'll send a message to Mickey about it. Surely he wouldn't mind making changes to his travel plans."

"That's your next destination?" Ifalna asked.

The prince nodded. "I should be able to find the next Keyblade there."

The royal historian frowned slightly at the prince's decision, but knew that he was right in making haste for his next destination. "I see, your Highness. Have a safe and pleasant journey then." She gave him a genuine smile for his imminent departure.

"Thanks, Ifalna."

* * *

The news that Sora was leaving Midgar didn't take long to reach the ears of Elena and Reno, who immediately visited the prince of Destiny Islands the following morning after breakfast.

"Is it true?" asked Elena. "You're leaving?"

"Yeah," replied Sora with a nod. "I've been here for longer than I had intended to." He gave a laugh before continuing with his packing. Only the three aristocrats were in the room, their respective Nobodies sent on errands throughout the castle.

"I hope Axel helped you with your quest," said Reno offhandedly. Sora stopped in his tracks and snapped his head toward the red-haired man with a smirk.

"You know he helped me tremendously. Don't try to pass it off like you weren't expecting any gratitude from me." He jested with a grin. "Thanks."

"Glad to be of help," replied Reno with a grin. "By the by, where are you headed anyways, if you don't mind me asking?"

Sora shook his head in response to the question. "I'm headed off to Revenant Wings."

"Revenant Wings?" Elena gasped slightly. "Have you heard?"

The brown-haired teen cocked his head to one side in confusion. "Heard what?"

"They found the prince."

"But… didn't Edmy die?" frowned Sora, his eyebrows furrowed in concern.

Elena nodded with understanding as Reno continued. "You know the rumors surrounding Edmy's birth?"

"Yeah," replied the prince. "They say that he is actually of common birth."

"It would appear that the rumor is actually true, though only a handful of Revenant Wings' closest allies know about it. Around the time when the rulers of Revenant Wings found out that they were incapable of begetting any heir, one of the queen's lady-in-waiting had become pregnant in an affair with one of the king's royal guards." Sora's eyes widened at the information.

"Normally, as you know, a lady-in-waiting would be released from her services once she became pregnant, but the queen had approached the girl in secret. Under some agreement, the girl was allowed to remain a lady-in-waiting and her child be given to the rulers as their heir."

"The birthing took place in a secret place and when it turned out that the mother gave birth to twins, she knew that she had to send the second babe to The World That Never Was. She didn't even tell the queen that there were twins," said Elena.

"That's down right cruel!" exclaimed Sora.

The blond-haired woman nodded with a sad frown. "I think she opted to send him away before she got even more attached to him as to save herself the grief," she explained. "They can't hide the babe forever in Revenant Wings. Someone is bound to see him and notice the similar appearances between the twins separated at birth."

"The king and queen never suspected a thing since by the time they had brought his Nobody to The World That Never Was, it was a nearly a year after Edmy's birth," said Reno.

"In other words, even though they knew Edmy had a Nobody, they never thought that it was his twin?" questioned Sora. Reno nodded.

"But, they know now that Edmy's Nobody shares the same blood as their son for the past eighteen years."

"How long ago did Edmy's Nobody become the new prince?" frowned Sora.

"About a month ago," said Elena, concerned about the frown upon Sora's face. "Is something the matter?"

Sora blinked away the frown upon his face and gave the blond-haired woman a smile. "Nothing."

"A frown on your face is never nothing," the woman teased. "You must've been wondering if Roxas knew Edmy's Nobody, right?"

The prince of Destiny Islands blushed lightly upon hearing those words—he hadn't thought he was _that_ easy to read.

"From what we gathered from Larxene and Axel, Demyx is very much like Edmy but without the necessary confidence that a prince should have. He is rather indecisive at times and averse to fighting when it's the only possible remedy for a situation."

"That'll all change as a prince though," said Reno, his blond-haired friend nodded in agreement.

"Oh, before I forget," Elena said as she pulled out a package wrapped in butcher paper and tied up with twine. She handed the small package to Sora, who weighed it thoughtfully in his hand.

"What is it?" he asked after resigning to the fact that he wouldn't be able to figure it out just by weight.

"It's something Larxene wanted Demyx to have," smirked Elena. "I think Axel had something to do with it too." She gave Reno the evil eye as if he was the one responsible for whatever mischief Axel had done.

"Stop looking at me like I had something to do with that package, woman," retorted the red-haired man defensively. Elena simply grinned at him.

"It's been years since they've last saw him. It'd be nice for him to come and visit once in a while," he added. Sora nodded in understanding.

"I'll let him know," smiled the prince of Destiny Islands.

"Safe journeys, Sora. We'll miss you."

"I wasn't that good of a guest," replied the teen with a blush.

"Better company sometimes than Rufus though," laughed Reno.

"Give Tseng and Rude my regards, would you?"

"I'm sure they're sorry for not being in town when you've come visited," commented Elena.

"Well, I didn't exactly give an early notice for my visit now did I?" grinned Sora.

The three laughed at the truth and it was with a light heart that Sora left the bustling metropolis of Midgar, departing by ship from Junon to set sail for Revenant Wings.

* * *

Compared to the Midgar Kingdom, Revenant Wings was the direct opposite. It was small, boasting only two large towns, neither one of which was the harbor that Sora now found his ship in. In fact, the port that they had just berthed in was strangely small. Sora supposed that it was fitting for such a self-sufficient country.

Indeed, fifty-percent of the country's land was used for agricultural purposes, the mountains that served as a border for the small country held all the resources that a country could ever need and the large forests that surrounded the towns were more than enough to supply for the lumber with careful management.

All in all, Sora admired the rulers of the small country, letting their subjects live in harmony through self-sufficiency. There was no need for any trade at all.

As they stepped down the gangplank onto the wooden dock, Sora smiled at the small procession of people that had come to greet them. While he had known who the current prince of Revenant Wings really was, he was mildly surprised by the older teen's first action.

"Roxas!" greeted a familiar face as he grasped the stoic Nobody by his shoulders.

"Your Highness," said Roxas with a kneel.

"No need for such formalities, Roxas. I'm still Demyx," the mullet-haired teen said with a grin. Sora was surprised by how true Elena and Reno had said about Edmy's Nobody—that he acted so similarly to his master that it might never had occurred to him that the man standing in front of him was Demyx rather than Edmy. Even though he knew perfectly well that Demyx must've lived a normal life at The World That Never Was, the sight was still unexpected. All of a sudden, he wondered if he had died, would Roxas act like him too.

Roxas flashed Sora a look of warning, suggesting that the Nobody knew exactly what his master was thinking at that moment. At first, the prince of Destiny Islands was taken aback by the intense stare. But when he realized that Roxas had just gotten mad, he smiled happily. Score another one for Sora.

"I am but a Nobody, Your Highness," Roxas replied as another strange feeling leaked into his body. He quickly quashed the emotion and focused his mind on the situation at hand.

The former Nobody frowned slightly before grimacing at the young man that knelt at his feet. He then turned to Sora and gave him a toothy smile.

"I hope your journey has not been difficult," he said cordially.

"The voyage here was calm enough," Sora replied. "It was rather droll though."

Demyx laughed. "Ah yes. A long voyage on the calm sea can be quite dull. I hope it wasn't too long."

"It was not," replied Sora with a smile.

"Good, good. Let's return to the castle so you can tell us the story that led you here."

Sora laughed. "It's a long story."

"I look forward to it." The two princes shared an easy laugh before they boarded the carriage and left the docks toward the distant castle of Revenant Wings.

* * *

Though Sora was still mindful of his words with Ienzo's betrayal still lingering in his thoughts, he felt that Edmy's Nobody deserved to know the truth behind his visit.

"So there's a Keyblade housed here?" asked Demyx with bewilderment and the curiosity of a kitten.

"I don't doubt it," replied Sora as he took a sip from his cup of Paopu juice. Though it wasn't as fresh as the stuff back home, the prince of Destiny Islands knew that the fruit, while common in his homeland, was extremely rare to be had outside of the Islands. To be able to have Paopu juice outside of Destiny Islands allowed him to indulge in one of his favorite drinks.

The mullet-haired prince looked at Sora thoughtfully. "Well, I haven't been prince long enough to know the secrets of this place, but I'll help you find the Keyblade. It's high time that someone put a stop to the Imperialists once and for all."

"Thanks, Edmy," grinned Sora. The grin quickly faded when Demyx groaned.

"Man, I'm still not used to being called by my Somebody's name." He growled with annoyance.

"Get use to it," laughed the brown-haired teen.

"Well, I kind of _have_ to, don't I?" retorted the older teen exasperatedly, though he couldn't keep the smile from reaching his face.

"That's true." They sat in silence for a little while before the prince of Revenant Wings spoke again.

"Did you want to start your search immediately or wait until tomorrow?"

Sora blinked at Demyx with surprise. "What, no grand party to welcome me?" asked the younger prince in a teasing tone.

"Well, I thought it would've been better for you to rest before we shower you with attention," replied Demyx. "And seeing how you just came from Midgar. I thought it'd be best to not have such a grand gala. My parents obviously didn't agree."

Sora laughed heartedly at the comment. "Thanks for your prudence. I greatly appreciate it." His voice became more peaceful as he continued, "It sure is nice to have someone who's not really involved in this entire mess to know what's going on."

"Outside advice is always nice, isn't it," laughed Demyx. Sora nodded in affirmative.

"Roxas," the prince said as they slipped into yet another silence. The blond-haired Nobody nodded in understanding and pulled out the package that Larxene had wanted them to deliver to Demyx.

Sora knew that he had not made the wrong decision in informing the prince of Revenant Wings about the entire situation when the former Nobody accepted the package.

"Oh my gosh," gasped the older teen with surprise. "It's been ages since I last saw them!" He quickly opened the package and laughed at its contents.

A white handkerchief was wrapped around a kunai knife as Demyx pulled it out and with the knife was a short letter. Sora glanced over the older teen's shoulder to read it.

_I expect you to return my kunai promptly, Demyx. Or I'll personally come kick your ass!_

_Signed,_

_Larxene_

_P.S. Hope you didn't miss Axel's gift._

Sora raised an eyebrow at the appended text and watched with curiosity as Demyx shook open the handkerchief some more before a small parcel fell onto the table, one that made both of them blush.

"What the heck did he want me to have that for!?" exclaimed the mullet-haired prince with mortification.

Sitting on the table was a thin square package labeled "Deepgrounds Condom".

While Demyx continued to fluster over Axel's gift for him, Sora couldn't help but laugh at the red-haired Nobody's crude humor.

"Well," he coughed with awkwardness, "I'd say I'm _definitely_ not going to be starting my search for the Keyblade tonight. Perhaps we should do something to get our minds off of this embarrassing idea of a gift?"

The sandy-haired prince looked over at Sora. "What did you have in mind?"

"I heard that you could play the sitar?" suggested the guest prince.

Demyx immediately raised an eyebrow at the suggestion. "Let me guess. Axel told you?"

"Well, more like Larxene told me through Elena."

The small package was quickly forgotten as the prince of Revenant Wings grinned. "Sure, let's have a concert tonight."

"I'll even play the piano just so you don't feel left out," added Sora.

The former Nobody simply laughed.

* * *

That evening after their exhausting little party, Sora couldn't help but continue to chuckle as he entered the guest room for him.

"Edmy's Nobody is a most excellent musician," commented Sora.

"That is why he is called the Melodious Nocturne," replied Roxas as he helped his master shed his jacket. The brown-haired prince was glad that his Nobody had immediately turned to put away the jacket or he would've obviously noticed the way that Sora had stiffened upon hearing the new information.

"How do you know?" he asked, his voice surprisingly nonchalant. He had almost blurted out his knowledge of Roxas never leaving the castle to mingle with the others, but bit his tongue at the last second lest his Nobody become cold once again.

"Axel told me."

"Axel, huh?" Sora wondered what had prompted Axel's decision to let the blond-haired teen know about this information that obviously pertained to the Nobodies' lives outside the castle. He snorted quietly to himself; perhaps the Nobody had renewed his faith in Roxas being normal because Sora refused to let it be any other way. The thought made Sora ever more determined to bring his Nobody's heart back.

"What about the Larxene? Does she have a nickname?"

"They call her the Savage Nymph." Sora tried to keep a straight face when he heard it, but couldn't let the single snort pass through his lips. That explained the gift.

"And Axel?"

"The Flurry of Dancing Flames."

"What about you?" he finally asked softly.

"They say that I'm the Key of Destiny."

The prince resisted the urge to laugh sardonically at the statement. While he hadn't expected that Roxas would have a nickname, the name was clearly pointing out his abilities to wield Keyblades. Yet at the same time, there were plenty of possible explanations for the name. Perhaps he was destined to remain a Nobody even with the Keyblade. Maybe he's the one who's actually going to save this world and not him. Or maybe his heart sang true and Roxas will be the one with whom he is destined to be with.

The thought brought a blush to Sora's face and he was grateful that the room was mostly aglow by the hot fire that burned in the fireplace.

With Roxas's help, Sora changed into his sleeping garments and relaxed in his bed as the blond-haired teen brought the comforter up over his upper body.

"Do you wish for me to do the daily report tomorrow?" the younger teen asked.

"No. It's fine," murmured Sora. "Good night, Roxas."

Roxas blew the candles out and re-stoked the fire. "Good night, Sora," he said before letting himself out. Sora smiled peacefully and closed his eyes, letting sleep claim his mind and darkness claim his sight.

As Roxas closed the door softly behind him, the sound of rapid metallic footsteps met his ears. He turned toward the sound and found an armored soldier of Revenant Wings running up to him before stopping.

"There has been an emergency," he reported. "His Highness, Prince Edmy, has asked for your master's assistance." The man held out a letter to the Nobody. Roxas accepted it and read it, his face remaining the same throughout the entire letter. He nodded in understanding.

"I will let his Highness know. Tell your prince to wait fifteen minutes."

"Yes, sir," saluted the soldier before he returned to his prince.

The blond-haired Nobody waited for the man to disappear from his sight before he crushed the letter in his hand and ran towards his own quarters, not bothering to disturb Sora at all.

* * *

Demyx's eyes narrowed in suspicion when Sora appeared fifteen minutes after his soldier had reported back to him. On the brown-haired teen's face was a frown of seriousness. While anyone wouldn't have suspected anything different from the teen that approached him and his small troop stiffly, the younger brother of the late Edmy knew better. The fact that this "Sora" had come without his Nobody only confirmed his suspicions.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," "Sora" said. "Let's go."

While the rest of Demyx's men got saddled up, "Sora" went over to the horse the prince of Revenant Wings lent him and made sure that the harness and saddle was tight and firm.

"What are you doing, Roxas?" hissed Demyx angrily. "Where's Sora?"

Roxas looked at the former Nobody with confusion similar to that of Sora's own expression. "What are you talking about, Edmy?" he retorted. "Did something happened to you between dinner and now that's making you delirious?"

"I know it's you, Roxas," replied Demyx coldly. "You can't fool me." He gave the impostor a challenging smirk, to which Roxas simply frowned. He didn't reply and mounted his horse.

"Don't we have a girl to save?" he snapped acidly. The mullet-haired teen pressed his lips together into a thin line and nodded with a frown, still unhappy with the Nobody's decision to take Sora's place in this rescue mission.

Demyx mounted his own steed and clicked his tongue to steer the horse toward the drawbridge that had been lowered over the moat. He scanned his company and sent his horse on a gallop once he was certain that everyone was ready.

As they galloped their way through the village immediately surrounding the castle and into the forest that doubled as a natural border for the township, the prince of Revenant Wings eyed the impersonating Nobody warily. While he had wanted Roxas to ride side by side with him so he could question him further of his motive to impersonate Sora, the Nobody must've sensed his desire and opted to remain in the midst of the rest of the riders.

It hadn't taken them long after they rode out of the forest to turn towards the mountains that lay to the west of the well traveled path. A small path led into the desolate valley of the bleak mountains where their destination lay.

Their speed slowed to a canter as the horses maneuvered over the rock-strewn mountain path. While that meant that Roxas could no longer hide with the rest of the riders, the slow pace offered no semblance of the privacy necessary for the line of questioning Demyx had in mind. The Nobody knew it and had thus decided to ride near the mullet-haired prince as they traversed up the precarious path into the mountains.

When they arrived at the top of the path, the moon was at its zenith. However, clouds obscured the full moon and covered the rescue party in a cloak of darkness. It was a blessing for sure as the note had demanded that only the two princes came to the negotiations.

Demyx looked down at the enemy camp within the secluded valley beset on all sides by tall bare mountains. Based upon the number of campfires that he could see, he knew he had underestimated the enemy's forces and had brought along too few men to raid the camp and rescue the girl in the ensuing confusion.

His eyes turned to scan over the riders that had accompanied him to this place and a deep frown betrayed his concern.

A soft whinny came from his left as the captain of the royal guards rode up next to him.

"What are your orders, your Highness?" the battle-hardened man asked. Demyx looked back upon the campfires in the distance, his mind swimming with thousands of possibilities for the night's outcome—more than half of which ended in tragedy, whether it be the death of the girl they were supposed to save, his own death, or the death of his men. He looked over to "Sora", who was silently calculating the number of men they would be facing with his keen eyes.

"The note specifically demanded for me and Sora," replied Demyx grimly.

"But your Highness," began the captain's protest.

"How fast can your men ride down the path?" interrupted Roxas, his face set in a frown yet a strange fire of determination burned within his eyes. The prince of Revenant Wings was rather surprised by the sight.

The captain eyed the path downward and turned back to look at his own men. "It'll take at least ten minutes," frowned the man.

"That should be enough time," the "prince" murmured. He turned to grin at Demyx, "We can take them on. At least hold them off for ten minutes before the back up arrives."

"While guarding a defenseless girl?" asked Demyx incredulously. His eyes narrowed in suspicion and in disbelief. While he didn't consider himself to be a bad fighter, he wasn't exactly thrilled about prospect of needing to end this affair in a battle.

"We'll be fine," replied Roxas with a smirk. "I'm a Keyblade Master, remember?"

The words that Roxas had uttered did nothing to assuage Demyx's fears and concerns, but when he looked upon the other's face, and the expressions that were uncannily similar to that of the actual Sora, he knew that Roxas wouldn't back down from his claim. He heaved a deep breath and nodded.

"How many scouts are in the party, captain?" asked the prince of Revenant Wings after careful deliberation.

"Three, sir. There is another who is trained in the arts of subterfuge if you wish for yet another," answered the captain.

"Have those men scale down the mountain to hide just beyond the perimeter of the campfires. Let's say, in about ten minutes after we had departed from here. Make sure that they know that stealth is absolutely necessary here."

"When you see the flash of light in the camp, that means I've summoned my Keyblade and I want your men to start the attack."

"Yes, your Highnesses," saluted the captain before turning his horse to trot down and find the men needed for the prince's plans.

"Shall we go?" said Roxas with a very Sora-ish grin. Demyx gave a smirk of his own and nodded.

The two princes then began their slow descent down the treacherous path toward the enemy camp. While Roxas had partly expected Demyx to begin questioning him about his motives, the prince of Revenant Wings appeared to have no intention of doing so. A deep frown of worry was upon his face and his thoughts were of their current situation rather than the Nobody's decision to impersonate his own master.

They entered the vicinity of the camps and Demyx couldn't help but shrink under the gazes of tens of pairs of eyes, all filled with hatred and bloodlust.

"Don't let them see that you're weak," came Roxas's harsh whisper. Despite knowing that he had extremely keen hearing as part of his training as a Nobody, Demyx couldn't help but wonder how he had managed to hear the words, his heart beat had all but seemingly deafened his ears.

Still, he realized that the Nobody was correct in his statement and sat up straighter in his saddle, his eyes focused upon the large tent that was situated in the middle of the camp behind a large bonfire. The two young princes stopped in the large clearing and dismounted their horses, watching with narrowed eyes as a guard entered through the flaps of the tent to inform their commander of the princes' arrival. A boy off to the left held his hand out for their reins, saying nothing. The princes reluctantly relinquished their horses and scanned their surroundings.

Roxas snorted at the sight. The number of warriors that had surrounded them did not unnerve him. Instead, he only focused himself on the tent, hoping that Demyx would do the same.

As they waited either for the chief of the group of outlaws to come out of the tent or for them to be admitted into the tent, a sudden revelation dawned upon Demyx: how did they know that Sora had come to Revenant Wings? He himself hadn't received news of his arrival until that very morning. And this kidnapping happening right during the time when Lord Barret would be in North Corel was simply too strange to be a coincidence. These men must've known before he did that Sora would be coming to Revenant Wings, but who told them?

The guard that had entered the tent came out just as Demyx thought of the strange scenario. There was someone else directing these men to kidnap Marlene so Sora could do something for them. But what?

"Our lord will see you now," the guard announced gruffly. Instantly, both princes could feel hands on their backs as two brutes pushed them towards the tent. While the prince of Revenant Wings brushed off the gesture, Roxas had remained stoic and unaffected by the rude gesture.

When they entered into the interior of the tent, their eyes were immediately blinded by the brightly lit area while their skins were assaulted by the licking heat of the many fires that burned about. Compared to the outside, the interior of the tent was so bright with so many fires that Demyx wondered if they didn't care that the tent might be burnt down.

As they stood still while their eyes adjusted to the brightness, Demyx's eyes scanned the interior before settling upon a small figure bound by rough rope to one of the posts that held the tent up.

"Edmy!" exclaimed the little girl in her soprano voice, her eyes glittering with hope and relief while her smile was filled with happiness upon seeing familiar faces in the sea of impolite men.

The prince flashed a quick smile to her before motioning her to stay quiet. The unusually prudent girl, as she was only six-years-old, nodded in understanding and quickly shut her mouth, her eyes following the two princes to observe the transactions between her saviors and the cruel men who had kidnapped her.

"You!" hissed Roxas angrily, grabbing Demyx's attention immediately. The prince of Revenant Wings turned to his friend before following his gaze to lay them upon the grey-haired creep who was the leader of this band of outlaws standing in front of a large wooden chair covered with a bear pelt. Off to the side in front of the man was another man, this time dressed in a black robe with a hood covering his head. He drew the hood down and a mop of red hair stilled the prince of Revenant Wings.

While his first impression was that somehow Axel had betrayed them all with that mop of red hair, as the man turned around however, Demyx found a familiar face staring back at him, but not the face of the self-proclaimed Flurry of Dancing Flames. From his own knowledge and Roxas's obvious hostility against the man in front of him, there was no doubt that the former-Nobody was staring at the sneering face of Zexion's Somebody, Ienzo.

"How nice to see you again, Sora," said the man, his voice dripping with so much sarcasm that it even made Demyx dislike the man. "Where's Roxas? I _so_ very desire to thank him for ruining my plans."

"Spare the sarcasm, Ienzo," spat "Sora". "You were the one who planned this all this time, right? How did you know we were coming to Revenant Wings?"

"Oh, that," the red-haired man said flippantly. "I've been following you two ever since you left Radiant Garden. And your destination wasn't hard to figure out with a bribe to one of the crew members on that ship that bore you hence."

Roxas scowled in response, his previous unease on the ship had proven to be true, but he chose to ignore it based on the fact that it had been the same ship that took them from Radiant Garden to Midgar and then to Revenant Wings.

"What do you want for the girl, Ienzo?" asked Demyx coldly, his eyes hardened against the malice held by both the traitor and the outlaw chieftain.

"I want the Keyblades," said the black-cloaked man simply. "While the outlaws want _your_ head," he added, pointing at Demyx.

"I can give you the Keyblades," said Roxas tersely, "but there's no way you'd be taking Edmy's life."

"That's fine," replied the red-haired man.

"You promised!" shouted the grey-haired man gruffly.

"Nothing that a few thousand pounds of gold wouldn't fix," retorted Ienzo immediately. "Buy yourselves better weapons and you'd get your chance at his head." The chieftain scowled, disliking the sudden change of plans, but the prospect of gold meant that his men would be better off.

"Well?" he said to "Sora", waiting for the prince of Destiny Islands to start the exchange.

"I want the moon to be our witness. Even if you do go back on your word and decide to kill us because we are outnumbered, I want to do it out in the open."

Demyx resisted the urge to grin at Roxas's quick thinking, knowing perfectly well that when he summons his Keyblade, the arrows will come raining down upon the enemy.

Ienzo looked thoughtful for a moment, making the two teens anxious for his answer. Just when Demyx thought that the despicable man wouldn't agree, he nodded.

"All right." He motioned for the chieftain to release the girl from her bonds, which the man did so reluctantly, keeping his callused hands on her forearm tightly lest she did some stupid thing to free herself.

The two princes then walked out into the open, shivering as the cold air caressed their skins. The moon remained hidden behind dark clouds and they could hear the sound of distant rumbling, warning of imminent rain.

"It would seem that the moon doesn't want to oversee this exchange," sneered Ienzo.

Roxas gave a grin of confidence of his own. "She doesn't have to." He caught Demyx's eyes and before Ienzo knew what was going on, quickly summoned the Ultima Weapon in his right hand before summoning the Fenrir Keyblade in his left. Demyx drew his own sword just as Roxas leapt forward and surprised all of his enemies with his agility. The powerful Ultima Keyblade entered the unprotected chest of the chieftain with immense force and red blood spurted out from the great wound. Marlene gave a shriek of shock and near horror as Roxas quickly pulled her away from the dying man and shielded her from the sight of death.

"It's okay," he said soothingly, giving a peaceful smile as she looked up at his stained face with wide eyes. "It's okay."

Around them, the sound of weapons being drawn wiped the smile from Roxas's face as he regarded the men around them. The wail of arrows falling through the sky ended with screams of men as they fell under the deadly rain, while the rumble of horse hooves beating against the dirt road alerted their enemy of the presence of the Revenant Wings army.

"We've been deceived!" shouted one of the men as he laid his eyes upon the rolling dust that trailed on the only path down into the hidden valley.

"For Lord Seregurth!" cried one of the men and charged at Demyx, who quickly brought his sword up to parry the downward slash of the man's axe.

As the scouts quickly joined the battle with their prince, Roxas kept a sizeable barrier between himself with Marlene and the enemies that eyed him with murderous rampage.

"He's mine!" shouted Ienzo angrily as he pulled out a scimitar and a crossbow that was bound to his left forearm. He shot an arrow at the Keyblade wielder in such a swift fashion that Roxas almost didn't have time to dodge the projectile as it cut through the air and made a shallow cut on his left cheek, severing several strands of his hair as it passed by.

Without giving time for the teen to regain his balance, Ienzo made his strike with his scimitar, which Roxas quickly blocked with the Fenrir Keyblade. He pushed the red-haired man away and slashed horizontally with the Ultima Weapon to force the man to remain at distance. He quickly eyed the path, noting the location of the riders, before locating the others who were engaged in battle right now.

"Edmy!" shouted Roxas as he dismissed Fenrir and picked up Marlene, who squeaked in surprise.

"Go!" replied the prince of Revenant Wings upon realizing what his friend had planned to do. He quickly intercepted one of the men charging at Roxas and ended the man's life with a decisive thrust into the man's throat.

"You won't get away!" screamed Ienzo angrily as he shot another arrow, this time at Roxas's back. His aim, although slightly off, managed to hit the teen in his left arm. A sharp pain pierced through the teen's body and he almost dropped Marlene, but he gritted his teeth and continued his way, clearing a path towards the riders who had just managed to reach the bottom of the precarious path.

While the rest of the men charged at the enemies, felling many with their higher vantage point, the captain of the royal guards stopped in front of the injured prince of Destiny Islands as he set Marlene down.

"Sora…" said Marlene softly, her eyes shining with concern.

"Get Marlene back to the castle immediately. We'll take care of things here," commanded Roxas, lifting the brown-haired girl up to the horse. The pain from his left arm shot through his body, but he simply ignored it.

"But-" protested the little girl; her concern for her savior was clear.

"I'll be fine, Marlene," said Roxas, flashing her a smile of reassurance. "Go!"

The captain nodded in grim understanding and began his ascent back up the path. "As you command, your Highness."

"You better be fine!" shouted Marlene, looking back at the brown-haired "prince".

Roxas gave a very Sora-ish grin before turning just in time to block a well-placed diagonal slash of Ienzo's scimitar. The red-haired man had a manic gleam in his eyes.

"You're not Sora," he said almost gleefully. "You're Roxas, aren't you?"

"You think I'm going to answer that?" spat the teen. He quickly distanced himself away from the slightly insane man and placed both hands upon the Ultima Weapon, knowing perfectly well that there was no way for him to dual wield as he usually did.

The insane grin upon Ienzo's pale face faltered as Roxas assumed Sora's usual battle stance. A scowl soon replaced the grin and the man crouched down in preparation for the swordfight.

The two combatants both gingerly stepped towards their left as they regarded each other with narrowed eyes. Ienzo's eyes fell upon the arrow that remained stuck within the boy's left arms and sneered at the weakness. He lunged towards the teen's wound, aiming to injure the sluggish side more, but Roxas had anticipated the move. He quickly spun out of the path and swung the powerful Keyblade at the man's unguarded back. He met with some success as the blade made a nasty gash in the man's back. However, before the wound would've been fatal, Ienzo had grabbed hold of the teen's left wrist, keeping it in a vice and preventing further movement.

The red-haired man's sword swung towards the teen's neck, to which Roxas quickly reacted by bending out of the way of the sword's path before bringing his left leg up behind him and placed a well-aimed kick to the man's temple with his heel.

Ienzo yelled out in pain, clutching the side of his head as he staggered backwards. Now freed from the vice grip Ienzo had on him, Roxas quickly took the opportunity while his opponent was dazed to disarm him. He then lunged toward the man, aiming to pierce the Keyblade through the man's abdomen, never counting on the quick reaction of the red-haired man.

The man had stepped out of the way of the Keyblade and landed a sharp blow to the teen's back with an elbow, sending Roxas down to the ground. The Nobody grunted before crying out as the red-haired traitor sent a kick to his left arm near where the arrow remained. His eyes watered with the pain that shot through his body and Roxas couldn't help but bring a hand up to protect the wounded arm.

Through the pain, the teen hardly acknowledge the spat that Ienzo had threw at him or the scowl and the sneer that followed when Roxas hadn't tried to get up. He turned with a wince just in time to see the red-haired man picking up the scimitar that had lain a few feet away. Another cry of pain passed through his lips as Ienzo stabbed him in his left calf, making it even more difficult for Roxas to get up.

"Time for you to die," rasped Ienzo, bringing his scimitar over his head with its point aimed at the Nobody's unguarded back.

"I don't think so," Roxas gritted out before rolling out of the way of the scimitar and bringing the Keyblade up into the man's chest. He watched with one eye closed as Ienzo's own eyes widened with shock. The man gasped in the air that would never reach his body and blood spilled out from his mouth. The pupils of the green eyes dilated as a death gurgle passed through the pale lips.

Roxas mercilessly pulled the Keyblade from the man's chest, resulting in Ienzo's less than graceful fall to the earth. He panted heavily, wincing as the movement aggravated his injuries. A few feet beyond him, the Royal Guards were making quick work of the demoralized men; the fortunate ones had escaped deeper into the valley while the less than fortunate ones lay dead or injured in the hands of the Revenant Wings army.

The teen attempted to stand up, but his leg gave out underneath him. If it wasn't for Demyx's quick reflex, Roxas would've been eating dirt again.

"You idiot," murmured the prince of Revenant Wings as he helped the injured teen up.

Roxas had no response for that.

* * *

"Your Highness!" exclaimed the black-haired captain. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Captain Brackenbrook," replied Demyx tersely as he half-dragged the injured "Sora" into the castle and toward the infirmary. "How's Marlene?"

"She's a bit shaken by the night's events, but otherwise well. Holly and Asuka are looking after her right now."

"Good."

The Royal Guard Captain eyed the injuries that the "prince of Destiny Islands" sustained and opened his mouth to ask if he was alright when Demyx spoke up first.

"Go get Prince Sora," he commanded. Captain Brackenbrook stood in his spot in confusion.

"But he's-" started the man but his prince interrupted him.

"You'll find him in his room. Wake him from his sleep and inform him that-" he glanced at the teen that he had just set down in a cot in the infirmary.

"Edmy," hissed Roxas, "don't you dare." He glared at the prince of Revenant Wings with such intensity that would've made anyone but the Nobodies stop in their tracks.

"Shut up," the prince replied coldly before turning back to the captain. "Inform Prince Sora that his Nobody is in the infirmary. Tell him to come at once."

"Yes, your Highness," saluted the captain.

"Demyx," growled Roxas.

"Shut up, Roxas," said prince as he scrutinized the arrow wound through the teen's left arm. "This isn't about your pride or about your job as a Nobody. Sora deserves to know."

"No, he doesn't," replied the Nobody. "He-gurgh." Demyx never gave him a chance to finish as he slightly tested the arrow that had pierced through the arm.

"Then how would you explain your injuries to him?" replied the prince grimly as he quickly snapped the arrow head end to allow for the arrow shaft to be pulled out before the wound got even more infected. The act earned him a glare and another stifled grunt as Roxas tried to bear the pain.

"You're not a Nobody in this world," muttered Demyx. "In fact, there is no place for a Nobody in this world," he added softly. He pulled the arrow shaft out of the wound just as the royal healer rushed into the room.

"I've got it, Holly," said the prince. The royal healer nodded in understanding and pulled out the various salves and bandages that her prince might need, setting them on a table next to him before tending to others.

"How can you say that?" replied Roxas angrily.

"Are you still trying to act like Sora or is that genuine anger I hear in your voice?" replied Demyx. The blond-haired Nobody opened his mouth to spat out another retort when he realized that the former Nobody was correct in his statement. He snapped his mouth closed and remained silent for the remainder of his time alone with Demyx. His eyes were downcast to hide the confusion in his soul as he wondered what had happened to cause him to react in such a way.

"Is he alright?" came Marlene's small voice. Demyx stopped in his actions as both boys turned to regard the young girl. "Edmy?"

"He'll be fine," replied the tired prince with a smile.

"Oh good," she commented with happiness. "That means I can take him home soon right?"

The mullet-haired prince tried to stifle a laugh, but couldn't once he saw Roxas's face full of shock—his jaw had even dropped open.

The brown-haired girl pouted with indignation before placing her fists on her hips. "What's so funny!?" she demanded petulantly.

Demyx's laughter faded off into a smile as he shook his head in amusement. "I don't think you can take him home, Marlene."

"Why not!?" the girl pouted even more, huffing in childish annoyance.

"I don't think Sora can handle being latched on by you all the time," suggested Demyx.

"I'll do no such thing!" Marlene said before blowing a raspberry.

"Besides, I don't think Destiny Islands would appreciate it if you had kept her prince away from her land," the prince of Revenant Wings added soothingly.

The brown-haired girl huffed childishly with her arms crossed over her chest. Roxas reached out with his healthy right arm and ruffled the girl's hair. Marlene gasped at the gesture and backed away to straighten her hair, much to the amusement of both boys.

"Young lady!" exclaimed Holly as she stalked up to them. "What do you think you're doing? Bothering another patient! It's way past your bedtime too." While she feigned anger and annoyance, her eyes simply sparkled with amusement and relief at the little girl who didn't seem to be affected greatly by the events of the night.

"I'm not…" she began to protest before a yawn interrupted her sentence. Holly gave her a "I told you so" look and shook her head with playful annoyance.

"Okay, okay," the little girl relented, allowing Holly to scoop her up while she rubbed her sleepy eyes. "'night, Edmy. 'night, Sora."

"Good night, Marlene," said Demyx with a smile.

"Good night," replied Roxas softly, earning a wide sleepy smile from Marlene.

As soon as the girl went out of sight, the slight cheer in Roxas's expression quickly faded and he returned back to his former "brooding" self. Demyx sighed and continued his tending to Roxas's wounds.

Just as the mullet-haired prince was wrapping up the wound on Roxas's left calf in clean bandages, the doors to the infirmary slammed open. Sora burst into the room, his eyes wide with fear and concern for his Nobody upon hearing that Roxas had been injured. He quickly scanned the room before setting his eyes upon Demyx sitting next to a teen who was obviously his Nobody.

"Roxas!" he exclaimed, rushing over to his Nobody's side, noting unhappily that Roxas had quickly averted his eyes upon his entrance into the infirmary. "What happened?"

When it appeared that the blond-haired teen would not respond to his master's question, Demyx decided to speak up.

"About three hours ago, I sent a summons letter to you asking for your assistance to rescue Lord Barret Wallace's daughter, Marlene, from kidnappers who were members of a band of criminals under the command of a man named Seregurth. They had demanded that you be part of the negotiations envoy. Roxas," both princes looked at the injured teen, "had opted to impersonate you rather than wake you from bed. In the process of rescuing the girl, he sustained an arrow wound to his left shoulder and a stab wound on his left calf."

Sora's jaw dropped open in shock and stared at his Nobody. He noticed for the first time that the blond-haired teen indeed shared an uncanny resemblance to himself. The pale yellow hair had been dyed dark brown; the teen had obviously put on make up to cause his skin to look more tanned than his usual pale complexion; the clothes were taken from Sora's own wardrobe; and the charms that dangled from his closed fist were that of the Ultima Weapon and Fenrir. The thought that Roxas could've easily replaced him if he had died came back in full force.

Anger bubbled in the pits of the actual prince's stomach and he felt sick. Was there no one he could trust? Even his own Nobody had deceived him.

"Is it true?" he asked quietly, staring at Roxas.

"Yes," replied the Nobody quietly, his tone of voice atypical for the teen. Sora was baffled by the tone of voice that made Roxas sound like a defeated man and knitted his eyebrows in slight wonder. Part of him believed that he was still acting as if he were Sora while another part of him believed that Roxas had come around and expressed his emotions.

When the Nobody raised his eyes, however, the doubt that Sora had about Roxas still acting like himself disappeared in an instant. The eyes that stared back held none of the usual hollow clarity; instead, uncertainty swam through those blue depths. There was no doubt that something has changed in Roxas.

Suddenly, Sora was at a loss as to what he should do next. He wanted Roxas to admit that he was wrong and be repentant. Yet at the same time, he didn't want to push him too far like Axel's warned him. He didn't want all the work that he has done with Roxas be wasted.

"Will it be alright to move him to a private room?" he asked Demyx instead. The prince understood Sora's hidden meaning and scanned over the injuries once again.

"He should be alright. Your room or his?"

Sora thought for a little bit. "His. It's closer."

The two princes slowly sit the injured teen up on the cot before tenderly moving his legs as to not to aggravate his leg wound further.

"Careful," murmured Demyx as Sora slung Roxas's good arm across his own shoulders. He heaved the boy up with Demyx's help and adjusted his grip.

"I've got it from here," smiled Sora.

"Alright," replied Demyx.

"You should get some sleep," the prince of Destiny Islands commented. "You look terrible."

The mullet-haired teen laughed before stifling a yawn. "Like you don't? You look like you just rolled out of bed and forgot to get changed."

Sora looked down at his attire and laughed light-heartedly. Indeed, while he wore his walking boots, he had run through the entire castle to the infirmary still in his sleeping attire. He knew his hair looked even messier than it normally is, which must've made him look even more humorous.

"Thanks, Edmy," said Sora gratefully as he began to half-hull Roxas back to his room.

"Good night, Sora, Roxas," the prince waved and went off in the opposite direction to his own room.

The entire way, neither teen spoke to each other; Sora was much too preoccupied with getting Roxas back to his room to ask the questions and he knew that Roxas seemed to be too deeply wallowing in self-deprecation to be giving him the answers he wanted to hear. Not to mention the fact that Sora was uncertain how he should talk to Roxas now that he knows the Nobody can be like him.

Sora freed one hand from supporting Roxas as they reached the plain wooden door that lead into Roxas's guest servant room. He undid the lock and pushed the door open, grimacing as the semi-rusted joints squeaked in protest. Slowly, Sora led the injured teen into the room and gently set him into the full-sized bed that took up the bulk of the room's space. He tucked the teen in like a mother does with her babe and sat down on the single wooden chair at the bed's side.

They remained silent for such a time; Roxas lying on the bed unmoving still trying to sort out his thoughts, and Sora, content to simply watch the teen quietly in his seat. A morbidly ironic thought suddenly came to Sora's mind. He gave a light chuckle and said, "And here I had thought that you were smart and would have already said something."

"Intelligence does not make for wisdom, Sora," interjected the Nobody immediately. The prince of Destiny Islands raised an amused eyebrow; the corners of his lips twitched upward to form a smile.

"Is that an excuse that I'm hearing?" he teased.

Under the dimmed light, it was difficult for Sora to see whether Roxas had actually reacted to the tease. The make up covered the blush that would've otherwise be obvious on the pale skin and the Nobody had averted his eyes, making it impossible for Sora to confirm his suspicion that the Nobody was mortified by being caught red-handed for going against everything that he had been trained to do.

"Listen, Roxas," started the prince solemnly. "I know you haven't been yourself for however long it has been since you received that letter from your friend."

"He's not my friend, your Highness," interrupted the Nobody. His training seemed to have made that response automatic.

The brown-haired prince shook his head. "No, Roxas. Whether you like it or not, Edmy _is_ your friend, at least an acquaintance. He's certainly not your rival or your enemy."

Sora's words rang true in Roxas's mind and the Nobody could find no words to disprove what his master had said.

"In any case," Sora continued, heaving a sigh as he did so, "I can see how much this is torturing you, being unsure of everything that's happening now as what I think are side-effects of trying to be like me. I don't want you to do that anymore."

Roxas's eyes snapped towards the solemn prince with surprise and confusion. He truly did not understand what his master was asking for him to do.

"I don't want you to impersonate me in the future. Even though I do wish for you to be able to feel and act human like me, I don't want you to _be_ me. I want you to be yourself and act like how you would act had you never been assigned the role of a Nobody."

Sora swallowed down the heartache as he spoke the next words. "I want you to go back to who you were before all this. Abandon the thoughts that had been evoked as a result of this event."

The silence that followed was still. Roxas's mind raced around the command of his master and while a small part of him tried to keep the images of the face of a young girl connected to his consciousness, his training at the World That Never Was forbade him from doing so. Sora's own command further reinforced the training and all thoughts of Marlene with the multitude of emotions that had flittered across her young face were banished from his mind, locked up in the darkest recesses of his conscious self.

"I understand, your Highness," answered Roxas, his tone hollow and void of any emotions like it had been the first time Sora heard that tenor voice.

The prince closed his eyes, trying to keep the tide of tears that threatened to spill out. He blinked rapidly to clear the moisture and stood up stiffly, clearing his throat as he did so.

"Get some rest," he said gruffly. "You can have the day off tomorrow. I'll ask Edmy to help me with the Keyblade search."

"As you wish, your Highness."

Sora left the room swiftly and it wasn't until he closed the door behind him upon entering his own that he allowed the tears to fall freely down his cheeks.

That night, his dreams were filled with the uncertainty of his future with Roxas.

* * *

He stood still in the empty space alone. There was no light, no ceiling, and no walls that surrounded him.

The smell of mold, dust, sweat, and dried blood permeated the cold damp air.

His heart beat thunderously against its cage. His own breath sounded heavy and wheezy against the still silence that surrounded him. The sound of water dripping onto the stone hard floor echoed in the empty space. All these sounds were deafening in his ears and he was tempted to cover them with his hands.

His eyes drifted downward and stopped upon the glassy, clouded hazelnut eyes that could not stare back. The young face of the girl was forever etched in death's finality; the emotions that flitted across it before would never be shown again on that face—not the relief when she saw her rescuers, not the concern when he had shielded her from an incoming arrow, not the pout when Demyx told her that she could not take him home.

The dainty bluing lips upon the all-too-pale skin were apart in the shape of a scream long since faded into the darkness. The hair that adorned her face no longer shone with the bright brown sheen. Dirt and blood stained the hair, leaving it looking like that of an old hag who vainly tried to look younger by dying her hair.

Ugly redness marred the white dress she had been wearing, all pointing to the wound that flowered grotesquely on her chest; the wound that was created when a steel blade pierced into the flesh and ended her life with one fell stroke into her heart. The blood that had spilled out pooled around her in a red halo, surrounded by an unhealthy rusty brown as the blood congealed and dried.

The sound of metal crashing against the cold stone floor resonated throughout the space, shaking his bones within him. Even as his own stomach churned violently at the sight of the rapidly cooling corpse, his eyes traveled further down to lay upon a once-silver blade adorned, not with a pastel star, but with a red star covered in blood. The blade's silvery glow had long since died away into the darkness, disappeared because the weapon had been used to take away the life of an innocent. Without that glow, the Keyblade looked utterly dull, dark, and unfit for any further battle.

He brought his hands into his sight, trembling upon seeing them covered with _her_ blood. His eyes widened with shock and he didn't even hear the scream that was ripped out from his throat as he covered his face with the blood-stained fingers. The scream of anguish and despair for the loss of an innocent life was foreign and shook him to his core.

All the smell, the feel, and the sound frightened him. It was too much! The last thing he remembered before succumbing to the darkness was the sight of his bloodied hands clawing at his own eyes, blinding him from seeing the horrors of the crime he had just committed.

* * *

Roxas's eyes snapped open with surprise and distress from the nightmare that he had just awoke from. His breath caught in his throat and he choked trying to adjust his breathing. He coughed, grimacing as the motion jostled his wounds. A layer of cold sweat covered his entire body and he clutched the comforter, bringing it closer to him as he shivered. He closed his eyes but only saw the residual images of the dead girl burned into the retina of his eyes. He lifted a clammy hand and pressed down on his shoulder wound, biting back a cry as pain blossomed under the pressure.

Although the pain had served to distract him momentarily, the haunting image of those glassy eyes refused to disappear. In fact, the pain had only made it worse, leaving him quaking even further under the chill and the fear of the uncertainty of his future. He couldn't fathom what the dream had meant to him at all.

He brought his unwounded arm up, laying the back of the palm against his sweat-matted banged forehead. He breathed an uncharacteristic sigh and brought his hand down to look at the fingers that were in the process of disfiguring his own face before he woke up.

Under the dimmed moonlight, he could see dark stains decorating the heel of his palm and the tips of his fingers. Despite the fact that he could feel moisture all over himself, he knew that his wound not had closed completely. He could sense the bandage getting saturated with his blood; and when he had pressed down on it, that action undoubtedly also stained the clothes which his master had neglected to remove from his body when he had put him to sleep.

Though his master had commanded him to regress back into his former self as a Nobody, the nightmare had made it impossible to do so. It was as if there was some psychological barrier that something deep within him had erected to stop him from obeying Sora's command. And to be honest with himself, Roxas didn't know if he wanted to return to his old life.

He rubbed his fingertips together, feeling the traces of blood mixed with his cold sweat. The action served as another distraction while his mind tried to process the various ramifications that the dream had implied. And in the darkness, he laid in his bed silently, his eyes seeing yet not seeing his moving hand.

For the very first time in his more-than-fourteen years of life, Roxas _thought_.

* * *

Sunlight filtered into the room accompanied by a choir of morning birds. The light danced across the features of Sora's handsome face, urging him to wake up. Yet, the prince had no intention of waking to the bright daylight after last night's ordeal. He scrunched up his face, closing his eyes tighter, before groaning softly and turning away from the open window and the light that bore down almost mercilessly upon his face.

He exhaled deeply as he settled in for more sleep. Yet, the combination of the sunlight warming his body and the birds chirping had stopped him from falling back to sleep as he so very desired. He heaved a sigh and opened his eyes, blinking away the blurriness that always accompanied the process of waking up.

He gasped softly upon seeing his blond-haired Nobody sitting rather uncomfortably in the velvet covered lounge chair next to his bed. Immediately questions regarding his Nobody came to mind as he wondered what could've prompted the blond-haired teen to come to his room when he had told him that he didn't need his services for the day.

Still, he couldn't help but smile at the sight of Roxas sleeping in the chair. The blond hair that was usually in a controlled mess was simply messy now, similar to his own bed head. His arms were spread out haphazardly over the armrests while his legs were dangled off the seat in the same manner. His head was tilted to one side and Sora could see a tendril of drool threatening to drip out from a corner of his mouth.

The prince stifled a snicker at the sight of his Nobody looking the most human as he ever has since he came to Sora's services. Yet, there were still traces that marred the humanly look. For one, against the white linen shirt and the blue cotton breeches that the teen had changed into, the Nobody's complexion was paler than usual. Sora frowned at the thought, knowing that no one knew exactly how much blood the blond-haired teen had lost before his wounds were treated. That and the fact that they had figured out that Roxas had a strange blood condition back in Radiant Garden, where his wound wouldn't close easily due to the lack of blood clots simply meant that the Nobody might've lost more blood than they suspected.

The slight red tint on the shirt told him everything.

Quietly, Sora rose from bed and gingerly lifted the lithe teen from the chair to tuck him into bed once again. He noted with displeasure that Roxas was unusually light for a teen of his stature and vowed to have his Nobody to dine within him every time in the future until he had gained enough weight to Sora's satisfaction.

The Nobody moaned incoherently as Sora set him down gently on the plush bed. He breathed deeply with what seemed like content, clutching the comforter that Sora had drawn over his body.

Certain that his Nobody was comfortable in his bed, Sora pulled the rope next to the bed and sat down in the chair that Roxas previously occupied, watching his Nobody with protective eyes and waiting for a knock to sound at the door.

Within five minutes of his notification, a soft knock rang on the closed door, breaking Sora out of his reverie. Silently, Sora went over the door and opened the door slightly to the sight of the surprised face of a servant girl. The girl was prudent enough to realize, of course, that there must be someone else within the room that the guest prince did not want to disturb.

"Is there something I can do for you, your Highness?" she inquired in a quiet voice.

"I would like two breakfasts to be brought up," replied Sora, also quietly. "Doesn't matter what it is. Just have the kitchen make something filling."

"Of course, your Highness."

"And tell your prince to come to my room. He'll understand."

"I shall do as you say, your Highness," the girl replied with a curtsey. "I shall inform the kitchen of your order and go find my prince."

Sora nodded an affirmative and the maid-servant gave another curtsey before rushing down the corridor to perform her tasks.

It wasn't long before another knock could be heard from the door, this time a bit stronger and urgent. It was so sudden that Sora almost wondered if he wasn't imagining it until the knock was repeated. Once again, he quietly went over to the door and opened it to admit the prince of Revenant Wings, who had an expression of bewilderment upon his face until Sora ushered him into the room and he saw the figure sleeping peacefully upon Sora's bed.

"What happened?" frowned Demyx before he tore his glance away from sleeping Nobody to look at the prince of Destiny Islands. "I thought you said you were going to take him back to him room."

"I did," said Sora almost defensively due to Demyx's near accusatory tone. "I took him back to his room, told him that he has the day off so he could heal better. I didn't expect him to show up in my room this morning when I woke up."

The former Nobody's frown deepened. "What did you say to him?"

Sora looked away, unwilling to share what he had said to Roxas the previous night with the prince of Revenant Wings. Demyx frowned at Sora's reluctance to speak and sighed with annoyance.

"Look, Sora," he began, "I've known Roxas for a long time since before he left for Destiny Islands. I would know how he would have reacted to whatever you had said to him last night. If you don't tell me, how could we figure out why Roxas is here right now? Seeing how he's obviously unconscious. And you and I both know that he is not one to offer an explanation willingly."

"How do you know he hasn't changed?" asked the brown-haired teen quietly.

Demyx snorted sardonically. "Roxas isn't one to change that quickly, especially not in the mere two months that I haven't seen him. So, tell me, Sora. I wish to know as Roxas's friend."

The prince of Destiny Islands gave Demyx a weak smirk and nodded.

"Last night, when I took him back to his room, I told him that I didn't want him to be like how he was."

The mullet-haired prince frowned. "You mean, you told him to return being a Nobody?"

Sora nodded quietly, his eyes turning downcast. When Demyx sighed in response, Sora's head snapped up, fresh tear tracks making their way down his cheeks.

"What was I supposed to do?" he blurted out, his voice was surprisingly soft for such an emotional outburst. "I didn't want him to be _like_ me."

"Why not?" frowned Demyx. "Why can't he be like you?"

"He would just be a Nobody even then," reasoned Sora.

"But it's the only way he knows how to be alive."

Sora's eyes looked at the former Nobody in front of him with confusion. Demyx laid his hands upon the slightly shorter prince's shoulders.

"Listen to me, Sora. The only way that you will be able to bring Roxas back is to let him live like you for a while. Let him find himself through you, Sora."

The words that Demyx uttered to him made sense. Roxas had never really acted alive before. The only way he knew to be alive was by acting like Sora. The brown-haired prince's eyes sparkled with understanding and a smile appeared upon his face.

"You're right. I've been approaching this issue incorrectly." He turned to look at the sleeping teen and gave a light laugh.

A soft moan that slipped through Roxas's lips quickly banished the feeling of peacefulness that had settled over the two conscious teens. Their heads quickly snapped towards the sleeping Nobody who had began to toss and turn slightly about in his rest. A thin layer of sweat appeared on his scrunched forehead, alarming the prince of Destiny Islands. He quickly went over and laid a hand upon the teen's forehead, his face showing confusion upon discovering that the blond-haired teen did not have the marked sign of an infection: a fever.

"Fever?" asked Demyx worriedly, eying the redness that was making itself known upon the white linen shirt ever so slowly. Sora shook his head.

"There's no fever," he replied, before shaking his Nobody lightly. "Roxas, wake up! Roxas!"

The aquamarine eyes snapped open with surprise as the Nobody gasped in air after drowning in an unseen pool. He breathed heavily, heart still racing from the horrific nightmare that had plagued him during the early hours of that day. His eyes searched wildly before landing upon the concerned face of his master hovering over his face.

"Are you alright?" asked Sora, attempting to keep the frown from his face.

Roxas's eyes were still wide with fear and strange clarity. He nodded hesitantly in response, sitting up to catch his breath despite his master's attempt to keep him lying down.

"I… think I'll leave you two alone," said Demyx, preparing to leave.

"No!" blurted Roxas, his left hand shooting out to grab a hold of the sandy-haired prince's wrist. "Don't leave."

Demyx looked down at the pale hand that stayed him then up to see Roxas's flushed face, begging him to stay. He turned to Sora, who seemed strangely irked by his Nobody's actions.

"Then I guess I'll leave," said Sora, standing up.

"Don't leave!" the blond-haired teen blurted once more. "Don't leave me. I need you both." His breathing was strangely heavy and he looked at the two princes with a desperation that seemed out of place upon Roxas's usually impassive face. Demyx and Sora both looked at each other with confusion; the sandy-haired prince of Revenant Wings giving a shrug of his shoulders before they turned back to look at the sweat-covered teen.

"Alright," said Sora. "We'll stay." The prince of Destiny Islands returned to his previous place on the bed while Demyx opted to sit down in the chair that had previously been occupied by Roxas then Sora as he looked over his sleeping Nobody.

"You should lie back down," commented Sora as he brushed the sweat-matted bangs away from Roxas's eyes. The Nobody had stopped hyperventilating and nodded silently as Sora helped him back down onto the bed. "Is your arm okay? It's not bothering you, is it?"

"It's fine," murmured Roxas.

The awkward silence prolonged as the Nobody looked out the window on the opposite side of where the princes were seated. His eyes searched the scenery aimlessly, as if searching for the answers to his problems.

"I had a strange dream last night," he started all of a sudden, breaking the silence that had covered them all. His face was still turned towards the window through which the sun shone brightly. He could barely see the reflection of Sora and Demyx's faces upon the crystal glass. "No, it was more of a nightmare."

"I thought you said you don't dream," said the former Nobody.

Roxas's quickly turned to face the older teen with a frown upon his face. "It's different now," he replied immediately—almost defensively as Sora noted. As quickly as he had turned to face Demyx, he turned back to face the window once again.

"I dreamed that I had murdered Marlene with Oathkeeper. I felt so strange when I saw her. It was such a horrible feeling that I ended up trying to gouge my own eyes out," said Roxas.

"It's just a dream, Roxas," said Sora.

"But it felt so real," the Nobody replied softly. The prince of Destiny Islands had no words of comfort for that, so instead, he simply soothed the younger boy by caressing the top of his head.

"Last night really changed you, didn't it?" asked Demyx softly. "Seeing Marlene like that?"

"I guess," replied Roxas.

"Then I supposed you won't be able to actually follow the orders I gave you last night," mused Sora with amusement, hoping that Roxas wouldn't take the words at face value.

"I'm sorry, Sora," he murmured in response.

Sora simply laughed lightly. "Don't worry about it. I had thought wrongly last night before I sent you to bed. Feel free to express yourself more now. I won't begrudge you."

"But I'm a Nobody, your Highness," Roxas replied blandly, turning to face his master.

"How many times will I have to tell you that you can just call me Sora?" teased the prince with a smile on his face. "Nobodies have lives too, you know. Just look at your fellow Nobodies. Axel's got a crude sense of humor; Larxene's got her violent tendencies. I'm sure Naminé's at least shown you some semblance of a normal person."

"Sora's right, Roxas. We're not at The World That Never Was anymore. We can be ourselves."

"But I don't know myself. I've tried to figure out what the dream meant to me for the entire night before I came here," said the blond-haired teen, a slight frown was visible upon his face. Sora could've sworn that his Nobody was almost pouting when he said those words.

"These things can't be figured out that easily," said Sora. "It takes time and determination to find the path to your own heart. Hardly something that would only take hours to resolve."

"I don't want to wait though," muttered the Nobody, earning him a light laugh from both Sora and Demyx.

"You will just have to be patient, dear Roxas," smiled Sora. "Trust me. The result will be well worth it."

"If you say so," murmured the teen. Sora simply smiled, resisting the urge to get into bed and embrace the teen, lest he become even more confused with the multitude of feelings. Instead, he sat there and watched as Roxas relaxed under his touch and fell back into a dreamless sleep.

_

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: Oh gosh, that was a long chapter! Over 12k words when I used word count. Wow. I originally had thought to split it up into two like I did with the Midgar episodes, but my sister (_If There Is Heaven_ on FF-dot-net) convinced me to keep it one chapter. Thus, the end result is this long 15-paged thing on MS Word. To be honest, I don't think I could've done it justice splitting it up into two anyhow._

_I will have to admit that trying to write Roxas as Sora is really hard when the entire time you know that it's not actually Sora who's talking/reacting but rather Roxas, but at the same time, Roxas needs to act/talk like Sora. XD The knowledge actually messed me up more often than not, but there was no way for me to try to write the entire rescue mission with Sora in mind since it's written somewhat from Roxas's point of view. Ah, I'm rambling XP_

_While originally I had thought that condoms would be rather anachronistic with the period being somewhat set in an alternate Medieval/Renaissance period, I realized that Midgar isn't exactly a city that conforms to the times. Thus, I ended up still having the condom as Axel's practical joke gift to Demyx (instead of the self-portrait of himself in the buff, haha)._

_One last thing, the dream sequence that Roxas had, though rather disturbing, is probably my most favorite little piece in this chapter. I seem to have a strange fascination with blood in this chapter too, XD. While the graphic nature of this chapter probably should've bumped the rating up to an M, it's only this one time, so should be fine, right? X3_

_As always, any comments or questions are welcomed in reviews._


	13. First Smile

_To reviewers of chapter 11:_

_DarkBombayAngel: Thanks for the review. I hope Roxas finds his heart soon too, hehe._

_LupinandHarry: It was weird, but in a good way, yeah? At least we know that Roxas isn't _completely_ heartless, despite what they might think, haha. I will admit that the stuff towards the end was dark, but necessary in my opinion to sort of "shock" Roxas into acknowledging his emotions._

_Dark-ranmaru: I was kind of wondering where your review was, haha. Glad to know that you're still keeping up. Sorry to hear about your computer though. But don't sweat about reviewing too much. It's just good to be able to interact with my readers._

_iOchibi: Happy to know that you really enjoyed the chapter. This chapter actually stands out in my mind simply because it's much darker compared to the other chapters. That's probably the reason why it struck your fancy, haha. Hope you didn't have to wait too long for this update._

_Rokurei: Thanks for the compliment. Hope this update was worth the wait for you, XD_

_Moonlit Vulpix: Well, for now, Roxas will still act more like Sora than like who Roxas should've been. But we'll get into more about that later, XP_

_Gamemaster 77: It'll be hard for me to match the length of chapter 11 with the future chapters. Still, I'm not going to say definitively that it's not going to happen, because, let's face it, I'm no prophet X3. In any case, if I do write that long, I hope it won't be too filler-ish._

_Exposed-x-Chrysalis: I guess the chapter could've been too wordy if you couldn't stay attentive to it; though that might just be my own negative critique, hehe. I wasn't aware of any awkwardness when I read it out loud to myself, but I must admit that I wasn't exactly paying 100% attention when I was reading it to myself, haha._

**

* * *

Chapter 12 – First Smile**

* * *

That afternoon, while Roxas rested in Sora's room, the two princes found themselves on their way toward Edmy's room where they believed the entrance of the Revenant Wings Station was. As they continued on their way, a sudden revelation came to Sora.

"Edmy," started the brown-haired prince with a frown.

"Yeah?" replied Demyx, turning his head back to look at his companion.

"How did they know that I was going to be here yesterday? I didn't send you the messenger pigeon until we were a day away from port."

Demyx gave a wry laugh. "I was wondering when you'd ask that. It was Ienzo."

Sora stiffened at the mention of the man. "That freaking bastard followed us from Radiant Garden didn't he?"

"Yeah."

"What happened to him?"

"Roxas killed him," smiled the mullet-haired teen. Sora laughed heartedly at the information.

"Justice has been served. Rather befitting too."

"You mean the fact that Roxas was the one who unveiled his deception and now managed to hand down judgment?"

Sora nodded with a grin.

They entered into Edmy's room and Sora was simply amazed by the number of musical instruments that lay about the room. When he had last visited Revenant Wings some six years ago, he only remembered Edmy's treasured violin and flute on individual stands next to the old piano that sat against the wall next to the king-sized bed.

Now, a glass cabinet sat in one corner near the piano, housing a gold flute, a clarinet, a trumpet, a French horn, an oboe, and a violin. Outside, a cello sat on its side next to a guitar that sat in a stand along with Demyx's favorite instrument—the sitar.

"To be honest, I'm rather surprised that you like music," confessed Sora. "I thought you would've hated it because you had to learn the instruments as Edmy's Nobody."

Demyx shrugged in response. "I've always liked music," replied the teen. "It's the only way in which I can really truly express myself. Besides, Edmy treasures the violin and flute while I just adore my sitar. Don't get me wrong. I still like the violin and flute, just not as much as Edmy does."

"So no one's questioned your change in taste of music?"

"Not so much change in taste since both him and I like classical music and just melodies. It's just change in musical instrumentation I think."

"Ah." Sora looked about the room again, trying to find some sign of a secret passageway. He summoned his Keyblade, but the room didn't light like the room in the Midgarian tower.

"Know where the hidden opening might be?" he decided to ask the prince of Revenant Wings, who shook his head in negatory.

"I haven't moved much of anything around in this room. I know that there's nothing behind the glass cabinet, and that's about it."

"So I guess we'll need to move some furniture around, huh?"

"If you're up for the work," grinned Demyx.

The brown-haired youth flexed his left arm in jest. "Of course!" Demyx simply gave a chuckle at his friend's enthusiasm.

Slowly and with utmost care, the two princes began moving things about, leaving the glass cabinet untouched. There was nothing behind the piano, nothing behind or beneath the nightstand, lounge chairs, and vanity desk; and there was definitely nothing behind the bulky dresser that still housed a majority of Edmy's clothes rather than that of Demyx's. That only left the king-sized bed as their final furniture to move and investigate.

They didn't need to move the bed far to find an odd depression in the carpet underneath. Demyx knelt down and prodded the carpet, noting the lack of sound when he tried to knock on the floor. He unsheathed the sword at his side and sank the blade into the depression; the sound of fabric ripping sang loudly in the room.

For several wordless moments, only the sound of ripping cloth could be heard, grating on Sora's ears. When Demyx was finally done, he uncovered a square hole not much larger than one meter by one meter. The edges of the hole were too straight to have been made by weathered rocks.

"It's odd, isn't it?" said Sora out loud.

"The edges are too straight, right?" replied Demyx. Sora nodded solemnly.

"Not to mention what kind of worker would not have noticed the hole in the floor."

"Maybe there was a trapdoor?" suggested the mullet-haired teen as he crouched down to eye the chamber beneath.

"If it was a magical trapdoor, similar to the one that I went through to reach the Midgarian Station of Awakening on Levan, what could've caused it to fail?" frowned Sora, crossing his arms in thought.

"Whatever it was, it only happened within the last eighteen years."

"Or between now and whenever the room was first done," commented the prince of Destiny Islands, his eyebrows furrowed in concern.

Demyx exhaled audibly before eying the hidden chamber underneath his room. "The drop doesn't look bad, but we might have a slight problem getting back up," he commented. Sora joined him at the hole's edge.

"I don't suppose you have a coil of rope handy in here?" he inquired. The older prince smirked at him.

"If this was _my_ room back at The World That Never Was, I would've answered yes." He looked about him in thought. "There are plenty of materials here to make a rope though."

Sora raised an eyebrow at the suggestion. "Oh?"

"We could fashion a rope from the bed sheets, the curtains, and the covers," replied Demyx.

"You seem rather eager to destroy your own room," the brown-haired teen commented with amusement.

"Well," said Demyx as he scratched the back of his head, a faint blush on his face, "it's not so much as I want to destroy the room as there's just too much of Edmy and not enough Demyx in here. I'd like my room to be bluer, thank you very much."

At that, Sora released a short laugh before chuckling at his friend's confession.

"This would just give me another excuse to actually redo this room. I'm sure my parents won't mind."

"Right, Edmy."

Quickly, the two boys pulled off the materials that Demyx had suggested and tied them up into a rope. Once all the knots were secure, Demyx tied one end of the makeshift rope to a bedpost and tossed the other end down the hole. Both teens were relieved to see that the rope was long enough to reach the floor of the hidden chamber.

"I'll go down first. My Keyblade'll shed some light down there." Demyx nodded in agreement.

"I'll lower a lantern," the other said before pulling the makeshift rope back up. Once the rope was clear, Sora jumped down through the hole and landed safely on the floor. He sniffed the dimly lit area around him, noting the faint odor of mold, before standing up to look upward.

"Incoming!" came Demyx's voice. Sora could see a silhouette against the distant light. A metal lantern was lowered down into his waiting hands. He quickly untied the light wielding container and lifted it above his head to shed more light. While he looked around, Demyx quickly shimmied down the rope and landed softly next to him.

"There doesn't seem to be much here," Demyx commented as he took the lantern from Sora.

"It's strange," the other teen frowned. "Even though this place should be the place to access the Revenant Wings Station, there's nothing here that confirms our theory. Nothing is reacting to my Keyblade."

"Maybe we got it wrong," suggested the prince of Revenant Wings, following his friend's example in examining the stony walls that surrounded them.

"We weren't wrong," came Sora's reply. Demyx turned to see the brown-haired teen looking closely at a section of the wall. He went over to his friend's side and saw the irregularity in the stone wall.

While the other walls in the rectangular room were unbroken, a hole, where a stone should've been, sat off center of the wall in front of them. What was even more curious was the bricklike stone that sat on the floor, leaning against that said wall. Strangely enough, there was no indication that the stone was even part of the wall; there were no pieces of the cementing sand on the stone—it simply looked like a regular stone.

The prince of Destiny Islands picked up the stone and turned it around.

"That stone's awfully smooth," commented Demyx. Sora nodded but said nothing in reply. Instead, he inserted the stone into the hole, raising an eyebrow in surprise when the stone sat perfectly in the wall.

Instantly, the room shook slightly, causing dust to rain down around them. The sound of stone against stone came from behind the two princes. They quickly turned to find the wall on the opposite side of the room breaking apart. They stared with fascination as the sound continued to echo through the room; the stones shifted and turned in the wall and the appearance of a doorway began to appear. Red light shone through the cracks and increased in intensity until a large doorway was completed. It was then that they discovered the source of the red light that bathed the room they were in.

The sight was breathtaking as Sora stepped across the threshold onto a stained glass floor marked by predominantly red glass. Beyond the circular platform, there was only darkness that stretched all around them. The faint strains of a flute accompanied the tinkle sound that originated from seemingly nowhere.

"Rumbling Rose," breathed Sora with awe. The said Keyblade floated at the center of the platform much like Fenrir had in the Midgarian Station of Awakening.

The sound of another pair of shoes clicking against the stained glass alerted Sora to the presence of Demyx, who was looking at the platform with a mixture of awe, curiosity, and… fear?

"Edmy?" inquired Sora, wondering what exactly it was that the older teen had seen.

"There's a picture of you on the platform…" said the other softly. "And Roxas!"

Sora's head immediately snapped towards the ground where Demyx was pointing and his eyes widened upon seeing the two similar faces formed by stained glass. He backed up to get a look at the larger picture and would've stepped off the platform if it wasn't for the sudden appearance of a shaggy reddish brown haired man, who took a hold of Sora's left arm firmly.

"Careful there," he said, releasing the prince from his hold. While Sora simply goggled at him, he mused aloud, almost chastising himself. "I hadn't thought that trick would've fooled you."

It was Demyx who broke Sora out of his daze. "Who are you?"

The man turned deliberately toward the prince of Revenant Wings and smiled. "My name is Pan, guardian of the Rumbling Rose Keyblade at the Revenant Wings Station of Awakening, Prince Demyx."

"You know my name?" gawked the mullet-haired teen, earning him a barking laugh from the Chaser.

"He's a Chaser," said Sora. If Demyx's jaw could drop even lower upon that information, it would've.

"A Chaser!? That can't be!"

Putting his face into his right palm, Sora groaned softly to himself. He just _knew_ that he should've told him about the Chasers before he brought him along to find the Keyblade. The man called Pan only chuckled lightly before turning to look at the brown-haired prince.

"I take it that you neglected to tell him about us?"

"Forgot to _and_ Mickey had told me not to say anything about you guys," muttered Sora. "Okay, Edmy. I'm going to make it quick and simple. Basically, Chasers are immortal so they can guard the Keyblades that I'm looking for. And yes, they have been around since the Three were alive."

"Now would you stop gawking at me?" smirked the sienna-haired man. Demyx's jaw immediately snapped shut upon the comment.

"You have to admit though," he said rather embarrassingly. "It's not every day you see an immortal with pointy ears."

Sora blinked with slight bewilderment at the statement before turning to look at the taller Chaser more carefully. Indeed, through the red-brown mop of hair, two slightly pointed ears poked out. The man was thin and had a pair of eyes that seemed to change colors with each deliberate blink. The man's hands ended with thin wiry fingers that grasped a pan flute—that explained the flute music they heard when they first entered the place.

"Pointy ears are common back in the day," replied Pan, slightly offended by Demyx's tactlessness. "In fact, all the Chasers have pointed ears. Did you not notice?" he asked Sora upon seeing Sora's surprised face.

"Uh… no," replied the prince truthfully. "Coral had her hair down and it covered her ears."

"Oh," replied Pan tersely. "So you said that you've seen Mickey?" Sora nodded. "Is Coral with him?"

"Yes, of course. They're at the End of the World." A tense frown appeared on the man's thin face.

"I'd thought as much," he said. "Well then, let's get this over with. Get the Keyblade so I can go find Mickey and Coral. Years of not doing anything can suck, you know."

Sora chuckled lightly. While the man was rather blunt, Sora could relate to the words. He nodded and stepped over to the Keyblade, grabbing it by its hilt without hesitation.

Like the Midgarian Station, the magical light that danced in the Revenant Wings Station faded with the Keyblade once Sora dismissed it. An audible sniff behind him made him turn around to see Pan getting teary-eyed.

He coughed awkwardly and wiped away the tears. "Sorry. Got something in my eyes," he said gruffly. "Get going. I'll see you when I see you again. Oh, give my regards to Roxas by the way." Without giving Sora a chance to respond, he immediately announced stiffly, "Teleport: Mickey Mouse."

The Chaser then disappeared with a pillar of light.

"What a strange person," commented Demyx. "I had hoped he would've stayed longer though."

Sora raised an eyebrow curiously at that, to which the other supplied petulantly, "I wanted to know where he got that pan flute."

he prince of Destiny Islands laughed heartedly. "Why am I not surprised to hear that?" Demyx blushed with embarrassment.

"That's enough of that," muttered the prince of Revenant Wings with annoyance. "Let's get out of here so I can convince my parents to hold off on that big party they've wanted to have. Until Lord Barret returns anyhow."

"Convince them to hold it off until Roxas gets better. I'm sure Marlene would want to play with her actual savior," replied Sora.

"You want to tell Marlene that?"

"Sure, why not? Attention from a hyper little girl might be good for him." Demyx could only laugh at the statement.

* * *

Sora hummed a cheery melody from his childhood softly as he entered into his room. He smiled at the Nobody who was still in the bed, his back faced away from the door and from him. He tried to close the door softly, but even the soft thud was apparently loud enough to stir the blond-haired teen from slumber.

"You got the Keyblade?" he asked with eyes wide open, turning to face the prince.

Sora nodded. "I thought you were going to get some rest?" he inquired, sitting down on the bed.

"Couldn't," answered Roxas. "That same stupid nightmare kept waking me up," he muttered bitterly.

Sora's smile faltered slightly. He patted the teen's hand softly with care. His smile widened when Roxas relaxed under his touch.

"Can you stay with me until I wake up?" murmured Roxas, stifling a yawn.

"Sure," replied Sora. "I'll hold you until you wake."

"Thanks."

Sora pulled his feet up onto the mattress and leaned against the headboard. He then gently pulled the sleepy teen into his lap and watched Roxas with a peaceful smile.

"Can you sing me to sleep?" came the Nobody's sleepy question. Sora was mildly surprised by the request but his heart swelled with happiness at the same time.

"I can hum a lullaby for you," said Sora softly with a light laugh.

"That'd be nice."

And so, as Roxas requested, Sora began humming a soft lullaby for the Nobody. The regular deep breathing of the teen indicated that Roxas had fallen asleep peacefully. Sora stifled a yawn that interrupted the lullaby before exhaustion set in and he fell asleep as well. Neither teen was the wiser when Demyx took an instant capture of the two in that picture-perfect pose.

* * *

Sora moaned softly the next morning as sunlight once again filtered through the clear windows. As he opened his eyes sleepily, he found that his neck and back were sore from sleeping upright the entire night. He snickered upon seeing Roxas covering his eyes with his good arm before groaning as it wasn't enough cover and pulled the comforter over his head.

A knock on the door caught his attention and Sora gently covered where he last saw Roxas's ears with his hands.

"Come in," he announced none-too-softly, hoping that the volume of his voice wasn't enough to wake the still resting teen.

The door opened to reveal Demyx peeking in quietly, giving Sora a look of curiosity when he saw the younger man sitting upright in his bed. A large lump beneath the covers indicated that Roxas had been in the room all night.

"I'm not going to ask what happened last night," he started. Sora's face flushed with red when he realized the perverted connotation behind those words.

"You're starting to sound like Axel," he retorted with a grin.

"Ugh, don't remind me," groaned Demyx. Sora simply snickered at the man's annoyance. "Anyway, I brought some clean bandages to change Roxas's dressing."

"Probably easier to work on the leg first," commented Sora as he pulled his hands away from where they covered Roxas's ears. "Actually, can you go shut the curtains first?"

"Of course," nodded Demyx. The room plunged into semi-darkness when the thick curtains were drawn closed, causing the prince of Revenant Wings to add more wood to the smoldering fire and stoke it back to a warming red out of habit.

Meanwhile, Sora had gently pulled the thick comforter away from Roxas's still sleeping form, allowing it to fall to the carpeted floor. The bandages on the leg, although having been changed on the previous day, were stained with an unhealthy rusty brown. Sora wrinkled his nose at the sight and wrapped his arms around the sleeping teen tighter while Demyx began to cut away the dirtied bandages. What they uncovered was a surprise.

"I thought you said he didn't heal well," said the prince of Revenant Wings upon removing the bandages. The wound that shouldn't have scabbed over was already scabbed over.

"He didn't back in Radiant Garden," replied Sora softly, remembering the scrapes on the teen's arms to have remained open even when they had gone to stay at Ienzo's estate. He looked up at Demyx. "Don't you have this problem too?"

Demyx shook his head. "I've only heard of Roxas having this problem. I think it's probably because his body has been programmed to be always alert and had never been allowed to rest so the wounds will heal. I suppose that's one of the trademarks of a true Nobody."

"So I was right to let him rest, even though he couldn't sleep at all yesterday after we left," murmured Sora.

"I think it's more of your presence with him that allowed him to recover that quickly. He probably feels safe with you," suggested Demyx, dabbing a healing salve on the wound before wrapping it up with clean linen.

A smile gradually appeared on Sora's face. "You might be right."

Silently, Demyx finished redressing Roxas's leg wound. With Sora's help, he removed the linen shirt from Roxas's body and began his work on the shoulder wound. The blond-haired teen remained unconscious and leaned against Sora as the mullet-haired prince cut away the bandages.

While Edmy's former Nobody worked, Sora couldn't help but stare at the numerous thin scars upon the younger teen's body, particularly on the back. The translucent scars crisscrossed the back grotesquely. And it was with a morbid fascination that Sora traced a particularly long scar that went from Roxas's right shoulder blade down to his left hip.

"He got most of those scars when he was between five to seven years old," commented Demyx softly, sensing the reason for Sora's silence. The brown-haired teen's head snapped up in shock.

"That young?" he asked, his stomach churning violently in disgust.

Demyx nodded quietly. "Those two years were simply horrific," he murmured. "It was the reason that Roxas became who he was until yesterday."

"What happened?" breathed Sora, almost afraid of the answer.

"There was some blue haired man called Saïx who visited The World That Never Was and stayed for two years until Axel and Lexaeus said they had enough and murdered the man one night."

Sora inhaled sharply. "They didn't get caught?"

"No," replied Demyx as he continued with redressing the healing wound. "They dumped the knife and the body into the waters; they were never recovered." He snipped the end of the bandage and secured it with a clip.

"Are you…" began Sora hesitantly, "just as scarred?"

Demyx gave him a wry smile. "Not as much," he said, helping Sora to put Roxas's shirt back on and laying the still sleeping teen down, "but my scars are deeper." Sora frowned at the statement.

"I see."

"Have you eaten?" Demyx asked suddenly to change the subject.

"Uh… not since I came back yesterday," blushed Sora. As if to confirm that statement, his stomach suddenly growled loudly.

Roxas's eyes snapped open at the sound and he quickly sat back up. His whole body was on alert as he summoned Oathkeeper with his right hand and turned, pointing the Keyblade at Sora's stomach. The brown-haired teen's breath hitched in his throat in fear and surprise before a loud clang brought him back to reality.

If it hadn't been for Demyx's quick reaction, the once gleaming Keyblade would've been sticking out of his dead body.

For a moment, Roxas was still, his eyes looking at Sora unblinking. It wasn't until Demyx twisted the Keyblade out of his hand with his own blade did he regain his senses. A tremble shook his body and his eyes were wide with shock and bewilderment, wondering what he was doing. His entire posture sank down into the mattress where he had been kneeling.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Roxas apologized profusely. He began drawing away from the brown-haired prince, grimacing in pain as the movement began tearing open the wound on his left calf.

"Stop," Sora commanded, hurrying over to his Nobody. He laid two comforting hands on the hunched over Nobody's shoulder and prayed that Roxas would come to his actual senses. "It's all right. No one got hurt."

"No," replied Roxas softly. "I had been careless."

"Roxas," the prince of Destiny Islands said firmly. "Look at me." Shyly, Roxas did as his master commanded. "It wasn't your fault. You understand?"

The Nobody nodded tentatively, his eyes turning downcast in shame. Sora could only sigh with annoyance at the sudden turn of events. Roxas seemed to cringe away upon hearing the sigh.

"Roxas, you're starving aren't you?" asked the prince immediately to change the subject. The Nobody nodded quietly.

"I'll go tell the kitchen," said Demyx.

"Thanks, Edmy," smiled Sora gratefully.

Once Demyx had left the room, the brown-haired prince gently pulled the younger teen into an embrace, startling the blond-haired boy.

"Sora?" he asked softly, his body pulled towards Sora rather awkwardly liked an oversized stuffed animal.

"Please don't feel guilty," his muffled voice begged. "Don't blame yourself."

"I…" started Roxas hesitantly. "I don't know if I can do that."

"You can," Sora said, pulling away from the Nobody with a determined look upon his face. "And you will. I forgive you."

A semblance of a smile tugged at the corners of Roxas's mouth and he tentatively returned the embrace. "Thank you, Sora."

"We'll get through this all together," said the brown-haired prince happily.

* * *

For the rest of that morning, Sora stayed with Roxas in bed while Demyx came in and out occasionally to check up on them, also giving them the news that a ball was scheduled for seven nights later. Although Sora was uncertain about Roxas being well enough then, the Nobody had surprisingly asserted that he will be fine by then.

The day passed by quickly with Sora busying himself entertaining his blond-haired Nobody, despite Roxas's protests. But most of the time, Roxas slept, the blood loss he had suffered meant that his energy was simply sapped. Sora's presence kept the nightmares away and though the prince had become rather agitated while the Nobody slept, the knowledge that it was because of him that Roxas could rest well assuaged his restlessness.

It was during one of the periods when Roxas was awake that Demyx had returned with a familiar face.

Sora had been playing a violin rendition of a song called "Hometown: Domina" when the door opened.

"Go on," said Demyx, ushering the little girl into the room. Sora and Roxas both turned towards the door to see Marlene looking in rather hesitantly before seeing Sora playing the violin. She immediately smiled at the sight and bounded over to the prince, hugging him in the process.

"Sora!" she exclaimed.

"Good afternoon, Marlene," smiled Sora, putting down the violin that had been perched on his shoulder. He knelt down to look at the little girl at eye level. "What brings you here?"

"I wanted to see you!" she exclaimed happily.

"Oh?" inquired Sora, raising an eyebrow.

"I wanted to see my savior!" she furthered.

"Ah," Sora near stuttered. He looked up at Demyx, who simply shrugged, giving him the answer "It's up to you" in his gesture. "Actually Marlene," he began with assertion, "I'm not the one who saved you."

Marlene stared at him with large brown eyes, confused as to what the prince meant by that. He stood up and gestured to the boy who was in bed.

"It was actually Roxas who saved you," he completed the thought. "I was sleeping when they went to rescue you," he continued. "Roxas is my Nobody." The three teens watched Marlene's reaction, wondering how she would behave.

The girl looked from Sora, then to Roxas, back to Sora, before finally stopping to look at Roxas. She approached the injured blonde and looked at him closely.

"So it was you who saved me?" asked Marlene with curiosity. Roxas simply stared at the little girl, cocking his head to one side as if he didn't comprehend the question she just asked.

"It's not nice to stare, you know!" she huffed with annoyance.

"Sorry," murmured the blond-haired teen.

"It's okay," smiled the girl. "I forgive you because you're handsome."

The comment brought a slight tinge of pink onto Roxas's pale face. Marlene began looking about his face in a childlike evaluation.

"I think you're handsomer than Sora," she said after a few seconds. The blond-haired teen practically gawked at the tactlessness of the girl in front of him, especially since Sora was within earshot after all. Demyx tried to stifle a snicker while the prince of Destiny Islands stared at Marlene with bug-eyes.

"But you're too pale," she continued. "My daddy always said that pale people are sick."

"I'm pale too," commented Demyx rather unhappily.

Marlene whipped around instantly. "You don't count," she replied with her tongue stuck out in childish antics. "Besides, Roxas is paler than you!"

Sora laughed at the little girl's statements, causing Marlene to giggle as well before she turned to look at Roxas again.

"I think you need to get more sun," she stated cheerfully.

"I don't think I want to," replied Roxas softly.

"Nonsense!" exclaimed Marlene in a tone that reminded Sora strangely of his own grandmother. "The sun does wonders!"

"Where did you learn to speak like that?" Demyx asked in playful suspicion.

"Auntie Dorothy," she replied simply. "Oh!" she exclaimed before leaping around once again. "Since Roxas is a Nobody, does that mean I can actually take him home?"

While the blond-haired Nobody's eyes widened with shock, Demyx laughed at the request while Sora gaped at the little girl speechless.

"It's up to Sora," replied Demyx. Marlene's hopeful eyes stared up at the brown-haired prince, who shook off the shock to regard her more seriously.

"Ah… well," started Sora, unsure of what he should say. "You see, Marlene, I'm on a quest right now."

"For treasure?" interrupted Marlene, her eyes twinkling with enthusiasm.

"Something like that," smiled Sora. "And I need Roxas's help for the entire journey. So I'm sorry. I can't let you take Roxas home with you."

"Oh." Marlene's entire stature shrunk with disappointment.

"I'll take him to visit you as often as we can though," he added, hoping to cheer up the bright little girl.

"That would be great!" she exclaimed with a laugh. She hugged Sora eagerly. "Thank you!"

"Marlene," Roxas said softly, a genuine smile—although weak—upon his face. He pulled out a silver link necklace with a four point charm that resembled a senban shuriken from his pocket and handed it toward the little girl. "I want you to have this." Marlene took the gift with slight hesitation. "It was supposedly my father's."

"Your dad's?" she gasped. "I can't take this! It would be all that's left of your family for you!" Marlene's insightfulness never ceased to amaze the two princes.

"I don't need a memento to commemorate my family," replied Roxas.

"But," frowned the girl.

"Just think of it as a reason for me to have to go visit you," he interrupted. Marlene giggled, mouthing "Oh, I see." She then leaped onto the bed and embraced the Nobody happily.

"Thank you, Roxas!"

"Alright, Marlene," said Demyx sternly. "I think we should let Roxas rest some more, don't you think?"

"Oh, right," she said, pulling away from her true savior instantly. "Hope you get better soon!" she called back as she practically bounced out of the room. Demyx waved a silent good-bye and closed the door behind him.

"No," said Roxas softly. "I should be the one thanking you, Marlene." His eyes turned to Sora, who seemed at a loss and rather disheartened by the entire exchange between his Nobody and the little girl who he saved. "Sora? Are you all right?"

When the prince didn't respond, Roxas threw the comforter over his legs off and made to get out of bed, wincing as the leg wound, though healing, was still tender. Before he collapsed onto the ground however, Sora quickly went over to him and held him up.

"Idiot," he murmured, earning him a light-hearted chuckle from Roxas.

"You know, you look better when you smile and laugh," commented the prince as he helped the blond-haired teen back into bed.

"I hope you'll get used to it," Roxas replied, a roguish grin on his face, earning him a laugh from Sora.

"I don't think I want to _not_ get used to it," he replied.

A slightly awkward silence befell them as Roxas got settled into bed. "Sora, can you just hold me?"

Startled by the request, Sora didn't verbally reply, instead nodded hesitantly before he found his voice again. "Sure."

The prince of Destiny Islands got into bed and held his Nobody gently, embracing him from the back with his arms around the teen's torso.

"Did you want me to hum a lullaby?" he asked once the two got comfortable. Roxas shook his head.

"I'm not tired," he said simply. Another silence covered them.

"Is it actually your father's?" asked Sora in a whispery voice, as if afraid of the answer.

"Yeah. They found it amongst the meager possessions that came with me. At first they thought it was just another charm for a Keyblade, but it wasn't. Yuna, another Nobody, had hidden it for me until shortly before my fifth birthday. I never thought much of it for the year after I got it back. Even though Nobodies aren't supposed to have jewelry, there was a small part of me that couldn't bear to lose it. So I hid it amongst my oldest possessions. I didn't find it until recently."

"I see."

"You must be wondering why I chose to give it away, right?" Roxas inquired. Sora could sense a smile on the teen's pale face.

"Ah, yeah," responded the prince.

"I had to give it away. It was a token of my past—how I was fated to be a Nobody. Even with the love of the family that I don't remember, Roxas was supposed to be Sora's Nobody. But, there isn't a Nobody for Prince Sora of Destiny Islands, right?"

Sora's eyes widened with realization as the blond-haired teen continued. "Roxas had to shed off his past to be the Somebody that Sora wanted," he said softly. "I'm not a Nobody."

A laugh bubbled from Sora's chest and a few tears of joy dropped from his brilliant blue eyes. His embrace tightened slightly. "Well said, Roxas. Well said."

"And maybe someday," the Nobody continued softly for his own ears, "I'll be able to love you the way you love me."

* * *

True to his words, Roxas had made a near full recovery at the end of the seven days. A healthy pallor had returned to his face and there was even a slight hint of tanned skin after hours spent in the garden at Sora's insistence. He was no longer anemic and spent the majority of the final two days prior to the ball up and about. Sora had laughed that Roxas seemed like a hyperactive child then, only to have the Nobody stare at him with what seemed like confusion.

"I'm just teasing," Sora had explained. Roxas didn't seem to comprehend the subtlety in teasing.

During the time while the Nobody remained bedridden, Sora had became acutely aware of his servant's thoughts. While he had repeatedly protested against the prince attempting to take care of him, even attempting to throw the prince out of his own room every now and then, Sora knew that Roxas was aware of his master's restlessness in staying in one spot. The thought brought a wry smile to his face as he made his way back to his room with two books in his arms; Roxas was much too caring.

Though the ball was to take place that night, Sora felt no rush to make himself prim and proper hours before the ball. Roxas apparently had a different viewpoint for when Sora returned to his room, the Nobody had immediately pulled him in and had set out a number of outfits for the prince to wear.

"What's this?" Sora had asked immediately.

"Something to wear for tonight. Pick one," replied Roxas.

Sora looked out the window then at the clock that hung over the wardrobe, noting the time.

"It isn't for another four hours," Sora pointed out blandly.

"Just thought it'd be best to get prepared early," Roxas immediately responded.

"What about you?" Roxas pointed nonchalantly at the black robe that was slung over the back of a chair. Sora frowned at the sight.

"I'm technically still a Nobody after all," explained Roxas.

"I think it's best if you wear something more elaborate than that thing," Sora said as he wrinkled his nose in slight distaste. The black robe simply screamed "Nobody" to Sora and it was the last thing that the brown-haired prince wanted to do to Roxas, labeling him as a Nobody when he's finding his heart. "After all," he quickly thought of a reason, "you would want to look presentable to Lord Barret when Marlene presents you to him." He grinned before blushing upon realizing the hidden connotation the words held. Roxas blinked at the blushing prince and raised an eyebrow in question.

"I didn't know you were that eager to let Roxas marry Marlene," came Demyx's voice. Now it was Roxas's turn to blush, finally realizing the reason behind Sora's own embarrassment.

The prince flustered as the former Nobody laughed. "Not my fault that there's many different ways of interpreting a statement," he huffed with annoyance.

"Sora is right though, Roxas," he said to the blond-haired boy. "Lord Barret will want to see you tonight to thank you. He only just arrived last night after his business in North Corel."

"Something happened there?" asked Sora with surprise; he had thought that it had simply been a ruse to lure the dark-skinned man out of Revenant Wings.

Demyx nodded lightly. "Apparently there had been another band of outlaws planning to take over the mines there just shortly before he arrived. The entire situation had kept him there for a while until recently."

"Does he know about the kidnapping?" asked Roxas.

"I left that task to my parents. Undoubtedly Lord Barret will rage about what had happened, but he won't act too outrageously in the presence of the king and queen of Revenant Wings," grinned Demyx. Sora laughed with amusement.

"Anyway, Roxas, wear the navy blue outfit and I'll wear the white one." At least the navy blue is a lot more like black than white," grinned Sora.

Roxas looked from Demyx's smiling face to Sora's grinning one and repeated the motion. With an exaggerated sigh, he knew that he had to wear the said attire.

"Fine."

The two princes simply smiled happily.

* * *

That night's ball was very much the same as any other royal parties he's been to. Granted, he must admit that the music was much better suited for dancing than any other galas. Even Destiny Islands' music at his recent birthday party had been rather fanciful and awkward for dancing. While Sora had recognized some of the songs that had their own distinct dances, others were unfamiliar but had the generic one-two-three beat that made it clear that it was a waltz.

Many of the attendees were of Revenant Wings, but Sora still recognized a handful of the people who had arrived from afar to join the festivities. Notably, Elena and Reno had come after an invitation from Demyx and along with them came Tseng, Rude, and the Nobodies who remained by their masters' sides. Still, Sora knew how eager they were to catch up on life with Demyx after years of separation. Rufus was not in attendance, although he had been invited as a formality, most likely because he didn't see Revenant Wings as some particularly important ally—Demyx's country being considerably small and secluded. The prince of Destiny Islands was grateful, however, for this absence.

While Tseng was dancing on the floor with Elena, Reno was talking animatedly with Rude and both men occasionally jested at a familiar blond-haired man who could've been an older version of Roxas. General Cloud Strife was the commander of the army at Nibelheim and purportedly the lover of the recently coronated Queen Tifa Lockhart. Sora did not envy the position that the woman held, being the youngest of all monarchs in reign currently, and knew that she must've been devastated when her father, the late king, had died from an aggressive disease. Nonetheless, despite her initial awkwardness on the throne, Tifa had become a good ruler in Sora's eyes. And with Cloud's help, Nibelheim had the strongest defense against an Imperialist attack.

The sight of the two reminded Sora of his next destination and his unfinished task. It was a blessing that Tifa and Cloud had come, since he would've been able to continue with his journey with them on their ship.

"Thinking about the next destination?" asked Roxas softly from behind him.

Sora chuckled lightly. "How'd you know?"

"You've been staring at General Strife and Queen Tifa for the past five minutes. It's hard to not guess what you're thinking."

"You've been with me too long," commented Sora.

"Not long enough," jested Roxas, earning him another quiet laughter from the brown-haired prince.

It wasn't long before the two teens saw the heart-shaped face framed by gleaming brown hair tied up into a double braided ponytail. A small hand pulled a much larger hand along towards them.

Sora had never met Lord Barret Wallace in person before and found the tall burly man to be quite imposing. Compared to his daughter, the man easily towered over the petite girl. The prince supposed that the appearance was necessary for his work at North Corel. His eyes found a metal hand sticking out of the man's left sleeve and quickly tore his eyes away before Lord Barret had caught him staring impolitely.

"Daddy, daddy," Marlene's lilting soprano voice cut through his reverie. "This is Roxas, my savior!" She pointed a dainty finger in the blond-haired teen's direction once they were in range.

"'m very grateful for ye' to have saved my daughter," the man with a coarse voice was filled with warmth. The brown eyes twinkled with happiness and appreciation. "Y' didn't have to go an' do that," he added as an afterthought.

"No need to thank me, milord Barret," said Roxas with a polite bow. "It's only my duty."

"Duty?" questioned the tall dark-skinned man.

Sora was about to interject before Roxas stood up straight and, with a faint smile, said, "I am a Nobody."

Lord Barret's mouth dropped open with shock and he stared at the blond-haired teen for a few moments before catching himself; his whole demeanor seemed to have changed, however.

"Ah, I see," the man uttered awkwardly. Sora frowned at the sudden change in heart.

"Dad," pouted Marlene. "What are you doing? Roxas isn't just a Nobody. He saved me!"

Sora smiled when he saw a blush darken the man's face, having been scolded by his own daughter. From the pair's interactions, Sora could tell that Lord Barret spoils his daughter very much.

"Uh, sorry," said the man apologetically. "I wasn't aware that Nobodies went out of their way to help others."

The smile on Sora's face faltered for a brief moment. He knew the actual reason why Roxas had gone out of his way to save Marlene. It wasn't out of the goodness of his heart, but rather he felt that saving Marlene wasn't important enough to wake Sora from slumber. Yet, the prince of Destiny Islands was glad that Roxas had made the rather unsavory decision to take Sora's spot. The result had been surprisingly pleasant and changed Roxas for the better.

"But," he continued rather gruffly after a moment of silence, "'m glad you did. My little girl's safe because of you." Sora noticed that the gruffness in the baritone was the burly lord's usual tone of voice and smiled at that.

"You're welcome to visit us anytime you want," Lord Barret stated with a grin on his face, grabbing Roxas's hand in a warm, firm handshake.

"With or without Sora," added Marlene.

"Hey!" exclaimed the said prince with mock indignation. "What's that supposed to mean!?" Marlene giggled at Sora's reaction.

"Marlene!" scolded her father, whose face darkened with another blush of embarrassment. "'m sorry, your Highness. She's typically not this bold."

"That's because you spoil me every chance you get," giggled the little girl.

"That's enough, Marlene," said Roxas softly. "Give your dad some credit, won't you?"

"Oh, fine," Marlene pouted with her hands balled into fists, placed on her hips in playful annoyance.

"All right, young lady," said Lord Barret as he picked up Marlene with his good arm and sat her on his left forearm, letting her tiny arms wrap around his neck for support. "Let's leave Sora and Roxas to their devices for the rest of the night. We still have to get back to our house in time for your bedtime story."

"Ooh!" the girl's eyes sparkled with interest. "What kind of a story?" she asked eagerly.

"It's a love story for the ages," laughed Lord Barret as he started walking away from the two teens. "It's about a princess called Tiffany and her best friend, a servant named Claus."

"Aww, dad. I never knew you were such a romantic," came Marlene's voice before the pair of father and daughter disappeared into the crowd. Sora chuckled at the comment.

"Tiffany and Claus?" inquired Roxas rather softly.

"It's an inside joke of sorts. I'll tell you the story someday," smiled Sora. His Nobody simply nodded.

Sora's eyes scanned over the crowd in the room and found that he had nothing else better to do. Demyx had joined in the conversation with Reno and Rude while smiling at Axel and Larxene every once in a while. Tseng and Elena were still on the dance floor where Tifa and Cloud had joined them. He had already eaten his fill of the dinner dishes that were served continuously throughout the night at the partygoers' leisure. Just as he breathed a sigh of boredom, a sudden thought came to his mind and he quickly turned to look at the blond-haired youth behind him. Roxas blinked with confusion at Sora's sudden movement.

"Come dance with me, Roxas," grinned the prince of Destiny Islands.

Roxas scanned the room, uncertain of Sora's gesture.

"If anyone asks," said Sora reassuringly, "I'll just say that you were following my orders."

"Okay," replied Roxas with a nod and a small smile. He placed his hand in Sora's outstretched own and allowed the brown-haired teen to lead him into the throng of dancers.

As they made their way to the dance floor, Sora's eyes caught the worried aquamarine eyes of Demyx, the bewildered red eyes of Larxene, and the understanding green eyes of Axel, the last one of which smirked slightly at him and gave him a quick thumbs up before returning to his previous position. Sora simply smiled at each and every one of them.

"Is something the matter?" asked Roxas whisperingly when the pair hadn't began dancing to the waltz immediately after the prince had laid his hand on Roxas's hip just as Roxas had laid his free hand on Sora's shoulder.

"Nothing's the matter," replied Sora as his smile grew wider. "Everything couldn't have been any better, in fact." Roxas gave him a flash of a smile.

"Now, then. Shall we?" Roxas nodded and the two teens allowed the music to guide their footsteps as they danced with the others on the floor. Occasionally, they'll find the eyes of Tifa, Cloud, Tseng, and Elena looking at them as the six danced and each time, Sora simply smiled serenely to them while Roxas gave a slight nod in acknowledgement.

For Sora, that night was simply perfect.

_

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: Woohoo, another chapter out; this time with more development in the relationship department! XD It's certainly not as long as the previous chapter, but it would've been unfitting to continue the chapter with their next destination. In any case, we're about at the half-way mark in the story I think. Though that might actually prove to be false depending on where I decide to take the plot next, haha._

_Regarding my other fanfics, I'm sorry to announce that _The Intrigues of Sora Kazano_ is still on hiatus, probably going to be so until I finish this fic. But at the same time, I feel bad to have started on yet another fanfic (_Melodies of Life_). Maybe I'll get a work on _Intrigues_ starting this week and hope I can complete the other eleven chapters before my mind gets immersed in the tragic plot that is _Melodies of Life_._

_Regardless of everything, hope you enjoyed the chapter and any comments or questions are welcome as reviews._


	14. On the Road

_To reviewers of Chapter 12 (All 13 of your guys, wow. And apologies for such a long review reply section before the actual chapter):_

_DarkBombayAngel: I agree that this chapter was really cute. It probably made a lot of readers feel all warm and fuzzy inside, haha._

_Becauseimthefavorite: I really like Sora and Roxas dancing together, XD. Thanks for the compliments and hope this next chapter won't disappoint._

_Niwa-k: Yup, yup. Roxy-woxy has emotions, lol!_

_Rokurei: About time, right? Hehe._

_Sky91: Always nice for a change of pace, at least in my honest opinion.. As usual, by no means are the characters fully matured/evolved; they'll change more with the upcoming chapters, though not as drastic as Roxas did in these past two chapters of course. Right now though, some changes will be good, some bad, but that's what make a character interesting, right? XP_

_iOchibi: I'll have to admit, it hadn't been my intention to make people giggle unless I was actually writing a humor fic/ficlet. Though I supposed that having a fuzzy feeling inside would make people feel the urge to laugh, neh? I know I made the change in Roxas's personality rather abrupt, but you'll see later why I made it this way. Besides, we don't really know if Roxas is actually behaving like he's Roxas with a heart or if he's still acting like Sora, ya?_

_EnigmaEric: While it would be nice to be able to see more involvement from Riku and Kairi since they're also Keyblade wielders, my original intention has been to write this with focus on Sora and Roxas. That being said, there will be some involvement from Riku and Kairi in the next couple of chapters up to the end. I don't know how much it will be at the current moment, but I am entertaining the idea to have all of the Keyblade wielders to have a major role in the final battle… whatever that means, lol._

_Gamemaster 77: Thanks for the compliments. Currently, I think we are over the half-way point since I've got more or less 22 chapters planned for the entire fic. That number might be reduced depending on whether I feel like adding more "filler-ish" material or if I could actually carry the story with enough interesting stuff for 22 chapters, XP._

_LupinandHarry: Unfortunately, the updates for _Intrigues_ are still going to be sporadic at best, though you might be seeing the next chapter for _Intrigues_ sooner than later, hehe._

_B. David-Aw: Lmao. You're right, it would be too OOC for Roxas to be wooing Sora under the moonlight playing a mandolin or lute-type instrument riding a gondola through a canalled city. Roxas will show his own version of romance sooner or later… I think? Lol. All in all, thanks a lot for all the compliments, I appreciate it. I'm actually really proud of how this story's coming along. I aim not to disappoint, hehe._

_Inteme-Diamond: Thanks! I heart Roxas too._

_Moonlit Vulpix: Well, there's got to be some bumps in a relationship, right? XP. But I'll try not to twist it too much, haha._

_Azuresapphire15: Aww, come on. Under that innocent exterior, you know there's a mischievous imp inside of Marlene, even in Advent Children (wink). Glad to know you liked it, hehe._

**

* * *

Chapter 13 – On the Road**

* * *

To say that Sora had been mildly surprised by the secret that Tifa and Cloud trusted to him was a gross understatement. Though, he supposed that it made sense that they hadn't frowned upon Roxas when the Nobody had intervened on Sora's behalf multiple times at sea.

It's a shame that Sora had never met the Nobodies that were Cloud's older brother and Tifa's older sister.

Nevertheless, the pleasant feeling of shock was quickly set aside as they journeyed across the sea. For the majority of the voyage from Revenant Wings to Nibelheim, an uneasy sense of foreboding plagued Sora, leaving him restless and unsociable. Whenever Roxas asked the prince if something was wrong, Sora would rebuff his concerns, only to apologize shortly afterwards upon realizing his mistake. Though the Nobody would try to press the issue, his master always gave him a weak smile and told him not to worry.

Little did those words comfort Roxas. The thoughts of concern marked his every move on the ship during that week but still, there was little that Roxas could do to assuage the concern in his mind and the unease in Sora's heart. All he could do was serve Sora and pray that this malady of the heart would soon go away.

He got his answer on the seventh day.

After the ship berthed at Costa del Sol, Sora had immediately sought to leave the tropical city and head toward Nibelheim, which would've been another week of journey over land, passing by a stretch of desert in which the famed Golden Saucer sat above the hot yellow sands, through the red rocky region of Cosmo Canyon, and finally across a great green plain that lead to the Nibelheim castle seated at the foot of the mountains known as the Nibel Range.

Of course, Queen Tifa and General Cloud were blissfully unaware of the danger that lurked beyond the Sea of Dusk that spanned between the continent of Ivalice and the End of the World. They had opted to stay for the night at Costa del Sol as the ship had landed early afternoon, too late to start the land portion of the journey back to Nibelheim. Sora was certainly irritated by their decision.

They had stayed at a villa that the late king of Nibelheim had given to his daughter for her eighteenth birthday; it was there where Sora paced about the living room to and fro to release some of the tension within his limbs.

Cloud had left to inquire of any letters for them from Nibelheim while Sora had sent Roxas out on an errand around town. It was also a ploy on Sora's part so the Nobody would not have to worry about him as much as he had in the past week. Unfortunately, that didn't mean that Sora's actions wouldn't worry someone else.

"Sora," called Tifa as she watched the brunet paced about the room for the umpteenth time. Sora stopped briefly to regard the queen of Nibelheim upon hearing her voice. "You're wearing a hole in the carpet," she continued with a laugh. The prince of Destiny Islands stopped in his tracks and looked down at his feet, a blush evident upon his face.

"Sorry," he murmured.

Tifa chuckled lightly. "Come, sit with me." Sora did as he was told and followed Tifa out onto the patio behind the house. A small round table with four seats was placed in the middle of the cemented area and a tea had been set upon the metal wrought table. Upon sitting down, a servant had poured hot tea into their cups and the queen immediately set about adjusting the taste for her cup. Sora, still restless, had begun stirring the tea without adding any sugar or milk like he usually did.

"Now, tell me what's been troubling you," the black-haired queen said. "Your Nobody has been quite worried about you."

"Yes," answered Sora, his head bowed over the cup as if the content of the white porcelain cup was of great interest to him. "I know. That's why I had sent him on an errand. So he wouldn't have to worry about me constantly."

"His errand will end soon, though. You should tell him why you've been rather restless this past week. Shall I venture a guess as to why?"

Sora didn't reply, only continued to stir the tea, causing to cool down faster than he'd like it to.

"You're worried about Nibelheim?" asked Tifa. Sora looked up with an incredulous look, to which Tifa laughed lightly again.

"I'd think you'd be the one to worry about your own country," jested Sora, a smirk on his face.

"Yes, but I'm not worried. She in very good hands after all. Lady Elmyra has been my father's advisor for the past eighteen years. I seriously doubt that Nibelheim would go to ruins at her hands.

At this, Sora lightly laughed. "At least it isn't Selphie who's taking care of your country."

Tifa smiled, "True. Besides, Macalania is only half a day's ride away through the pass in the Nibel Range. If anything happened, aid would arrive quite quickly."

Sora nodded in silence.

"So if Nibelheim isn't your concern. Would it be Destiny Islands? Your own parents?"

"I'm sure they're fine," replied Sora softly.

"Then Kairi? Riku?" continued the black-haired queen of Nibelheim with a smile on her face.

"Now you're just grasping at straws," commented Sora.

The smile on the queen's heart-shaped face was kind yet teasing at the same time. "You should know by now that I'm not one to easily give up when my friend's concerned about something. You might as well tell me what's been bothering you this past week."

Sora remained unspeaking for a few moments and the silence that fell upon the pair was broken only by the clinking of cup against plate as Tifa took a sip from her cup and replaced it on the saucer.

"You know of the Bastion Imperialists, right?" asked Sora at long last, his voice strangely small and uncertain.

The black-haired woman raised an eyebrow at the question/statement.

"Of course. Who doesn't?" she replied. "Bent on world domination, they're lead by the witch Maleficent, who in turn commands a host of Heartless."

Sora nodded solemnly. "I've on a journey around the world to retrieve the weapons that I need to seal the Heartless away from this world."

"The Keyblades, right?" asked Tifa immediately, the tone of voice was casual yet full of meaning for the prince of Destiny Islands. Sora's eyes widened with surprise before nodding tentatively.

"Yes. That's right. How did you know?" he asked with worry.

"There is a reason why Nibelheim's the capital of the Chaser society ages ago," smiled Tifa. "My family has been safeguarding the Chaser lore for generations."

"So you know that Chasers are immortal?" queried Sora.

"Mm hmm," nodded Tifa. "We know that they're immortal and reside on Levan. However, they left no record of how to gain access to the continent or the sanctuaries that are supposed to house the Keyblades."

"Do you know of Xehanort?" Sora's lips turned down into a deep frown.

The queen of Nibelheim hummed softly in thought. "The lore that's housed in the Nibelheim castle referred him as the greater common enemy. While the records hadn't specifically stated it, we've suspected that it is he who controls the Heartless."

"Yes. He does command the Heartless; Maleficent's control over the Heartless was granted to her by Xehanort. Did you know that he was a Chaser as well?"

Tifa's wine-colored eyes grew wide upon hearing the information. "N-no. There were no records of him ever being a Chaser. Does that mean he's immortal as well?"

Sora nodded grimly. "He's the one that we have to defeat to rid this world of the Heartless. Maleficent can be easily dealt with once the Heartless are gone."

"I see," said Tifa with a nod of understanding. "Just out of curiosity, how many Keyblades have you retrieved?"

"Two so far," frowned the prince of Destiny Islands. "Midgar and Revenant Wings."

"And where else do you need to go?"

"Nibelheim for one," he smirked weakly at that. "Macalania, Trabia, Northern Crater, Land of Dragons, and Traverse Town are the remaining countries I must visit to retrieve the Keyblades housed in those places." He growled in anger at the statement. "It's not so much that I don't have the time to spend at each place, it's just that the journeys from one place to another takes forever!"

Tifa nodded sympathetically. "Even if you manage to cut your stay at each place to a day, it would still be another two months before you complete your journey."

Sora's scowl deepened and he huffed with annoyance, propping his chin against an open palm with a "slap".

"Are Riku and Kairi not helping?" Sora jerked out of his pose with surprise; he hadn't thought that Kairi and Riku were just as involved as he was, seeing how they were also descendants of the Three. His eyes widened with realization that there was a way to cut down on the preparatory time before they would confront Xehanort.

"They're not, are they," frowned Tifa when the teen didn't respond to her inquiry.

"They don't know about the Keyblades and the Chasers," said Sora softly.

"Then you should tell them. You should get them involved!" said Tifa adamantly. "It's as much as their responsibility as it is yours. How do you think they'll feel when the final battle comes and they find that you've done everything on your own?" Her voice softened, "They would feel betrayed, heartbroken, and most of all, guilty for something that was out of their control. Even if the battle is won, they would look back on it with the knowledge that if they had gotten the Keyblades like you're doing now, maybe they might've saved more people."

Sora swallowed a lump of guilt. He knew that Tifa had meant well and wasn't trying to make him feel guilty, but he couldn't help but feel guilty.

"I didn't know you still felt that way," came a soft voice, startling the two royalties. They turned to see Cloud looking past Sora at his childhood friend with a pair of soft eyes. Tifa looks away with a tint of pink on her cheeks, her lips pursed together tightly as she tried to keep her emotions in check.

"It's nothing," she muttered, her voice thick with emotions despite her efforts. "What's done is done."

Her attempt to dismiss the topic that was sure to follow failed miserably as Cloud frowned. "It's not nothing," he argued vehemently. He wouldn't let them run away from the tragedy any longer.

Sora looked from Tifa then to Cloud and back to Tifa, concern written across his face. While he was curious about the reason behind the black-haired queen's behavior, he knew better than to pry.

"Yes," said Cloud as he took long strides to stand by Tifa's side. "What's done is done. But we, I mean I, can't deny the aftermath of my decision to carry out your father's last martial decision against Archadia, opting for battle instead of negotiations. As your father's heir, you had every right to know of the issues facing Nibelheim, especially with your father bedridden and mentally incapacitated for the majority of the time then. I neglected that right and acted on my own accords. Now, Biggs is dead because of my decision." The general of Nibelheim looked away with guilt.

Tifa sighed, though it held neither annoyance nor sadness, but simply acknowledgement and understanding of everything.

"It was my own fault as much as it was yours," she said finally. "I should have been more proactive in taking up my father's throne rather than trying to remain ignorant of my father's incapacity to make sound decisions."

"A pair of fools we are," commented Cloud with a sad smirk, earning him a soft chuckle from Tifa.

"Yes, indeed."

Sora looked from the queen to her general and smiled softly to himself at the pair. His heart fluttered warmly at the scene; while the relationship between the two adults was marred by insecurities, Sora knew that Tifa and Cloud cared about each other very much, even though they might not admit it. He was loath to cut into the warm atmosphere that had surrounded the pair, loath to interrupt this obviously rare moment of show of affections—however small—between the two. Even though everyone knew that Tifa and Cloud were an item, there was a degree of hesitation on both sides, afraid of taking things further, of commitment.

"I understand now, Tifa," grinned Sora, hiding the grimace of shredding any privacy the pair that surrounded them with. "Thanks." The slight jump in their bodies made his grin falter, but he willed himself to keep smiling.

"No problem, Sora," Tifa replied, returning the grin with a smile of her own.

"Now, if you'll excuse me. I'm going to go send some mail before we leave tomorrow morning." He didn't dare to add the teasing part about "leaving the two alone to their own devices," both adults were shy enough and didn't need him to goad them along. It would be best for them to sort out their relationship on their own.

Just as he and Roxas needed to sort out their own strange relationship, complicated by their statuses and the history behind both teens.

A warm breeze washed over him like a mother's soothing caress as he stepped out of the cool interior of the villa. The sudden longing for his home in Destiny Islands hit him in full force. How long has it been since he left Destiny Islands? His mental calculations told him six months. Has it actually been that long? Surely it cannot be.

However, if the slightly cool breeze that followed the heated wind was any indication, he knew that he had left his home for the longest time in his life. Autumn was just around the corner and behind it followed the bitter winter that left his homeland dreary and constantly rainy.

The knowledge of his weighty responsibility dampened his spirits. A small part of him, the young child within, desired to curl up in his bed back in Destiny Islands, held in his mother's comforting embrace. He hadn't asked to be the world's savior; it hadn't been his choice to be his parents' son, the blood of Ventus the youngest flowing through him like a curse for his naïve self, once carefree without any true worries. All of a sudden, he wished that his father hadn't told him to go on this journey.

Yet, he couldn't fault his father for how the journey ended up. There had been no way for the king to learn of Sora's current situation before it happened. Furthermore, it had been Sora who took up the mantle to do battle against the Heartless by voluntarily searching for the Keyblades. His father had sent him on this journey in preparation for his ascent to the throne once his father would be too old to rule. He couldn't shirk his responsibilities. If he had, then what good would he be as king of Destiny Islands? Though the task before him was daunting, Sora knew that he couldn't simply leave it and risk the world going to ruin for his own selfish reasons. He was the prince of Destiny Islands, fated for great things. His duties to the world at that exact moment was merely another stepping stone, another test for his coming of age and he'll be damned if he allowed himself to be beaten that easily.

"Your Highness?" a soft voice cut through his reverie, startling the prince who hadn't moved an inch since he left the villa, standing on the veranda. His eyes fell upon the frowning face of his pale Nobody, who regarded him with concern. Sora quickly shook off the melancholy that lied with his thoughts and smiled at the blond-haired teen.

"I'm on my way to the post. Care to join me?" he asked lightly.

Roxas watched the brown-haired prince with mild scrutiny, wondering the reasoning behind the levity and simultaneous sadness in his tone of voice. Finally, he nodded in acceptance of Sora's invitation.

"I'm sorry to have worried you," the prince said softly as they made their way into the busy marketplace of the port.

"No need for apologies, your Highness," replied Roxas softly, a hint of a smile on his face once he knew that no one would see it.

Sora shook his head lightly. "Perhaps not, but I do owe you an explanation."

Roxas pursed his lips tightly together. While the words of "no, you don't" rested upon his lips, he was curious as to what plagued his master for the past week. This curiosity that Sora had nurtured kept him from saying the words that would most likely earn him a rebuke from the brown-haired prince.

"I felt like we're running out of time," said Sora with a sigh. Roxas raised an eyebrow slightly at that.

"Running out of time? Until what?" he inquired.

"Until Xehanort makes a move. I'm afraid that we wouldn't be able to retrieve all the Keyblades before then," confessed the prince.

"I see. It's a valid concern," commented the Nobody, hoping to cheer his master up with his levity. Sora snorted with minute amusement.

"Tifa helped me to resolve my concerns. With Kairi and Riku's help, we should be able to retrieve the Keyblades in the next month." He stopped in his tracks to gaze upon the ocean to the east. He thought he could just be able to see the continent of Galbadia in the distant horizon—the continent where Revenant Wings and Radiant Garden were situated. A comforting hand upon his shoulder brought him out of his reverie and he turned to give Roxas a weak smirk.

"Sorry," he murmured.

"Don't dwell upon the state of the world and what you've been destined to do," said Roxas, a genuine smile upon his face. He didn't care whether anyone saw him right then; all he knew was that if Sora doubted himself, he had to believe in his prince. "We'll deal with it when the time comes. We might not prevent everything that would happen in the future, but I have no doubt in my mind that we will be able to defeat Xehanort and protect this world."

Sora smiled warmly at Roxas's words. He wrapped an arm around the lithe teen's shoulders in a gesture of friendship. "Thanks, Roxas."

"You're welcome, Sora."

* * *

When Sora had finished penning his messages and sent them off to Kairi and Riku, the sun was practically down. The sea breeze that blew in was chilly but Costa del Sol remained hot with its nightlife. It was to be expected of course, since Costa del Sol had great beaches with waves that rivaled those at Destiny Islands.

As they neared the lit villa located on top of the cliff overlooking Costa del Sol, strains of soft music flowed through the air, following the breezes about, in and out to the ocean beyond.

Upon entering the large foyer of the villa, Sora raised an eyebrow at the sight; servants milled about carrying covered dishes, silverware, settings, and various things that meant that there was a party at the villa that very evening.

"Perhaps it'd be best to hurry back to your room, Sora," whispered Roxas. Sora disregarded his Nobody's advice and neared the doorway leading to the large dance hall that doubled as a banquet hall. There he espied several attendees all wearing masks. A long rectangular table was place up against one corner of the room on top of which a spread of dishes sat. A small string quartet sat in the opposite corner playing the soft tunes that they heard earlier as the pair of teens made their way back to the villa.

"I hadn't known there was a party tonight," the prince murmured.

"That's because there wasn't one planned," came a woman's voice. The two teens turned to see Tifa standing regally behind them. She donned a blue sleeveless gown that shimmered under the crystal light. A pair of white gloves surrounded her forearms up to the elbows. An elegant teardrop ruby pendant hanging from a thin silver chain sat between her clavicles. Her long flowing hair was tied up into a regal bun, adorned with the hair ornaments that dictated her station in Nibelheim. All in all, Sora was stunned by the beauty of the queen of Nibelheim. Only decorum prevented his jaw from dropping open in awe.

Roxas raised a curious eyebrow at Sora's behavior, a soft blush appearing upon the prince's face.

"You look stunning, your Majesty," complimented Roxas with a bow. Tifa giggled at the Nobody's statement.

"You flatter me, Roxas," she said with a smile. "Your master, however, seems to be rather tongue-tied." Sora's face reddened even more with the tease.

Though he had a witty response which would've made Sora look like a ripe tomato for sure, Roxas's reservations stayed the words. He didn't want to risk having a servant hear him speaking casually with a member of royalty. Not only was it disrespectful to the queen of Nibelheim, it would destroy his status as a Nobody. Rumors of Nobodies acting normal would end up hurting him and the other Nobodies around the world.

"What did you mean, there wasn't one planned?" asked Sora, shedding the shock that had settled over him.

"This party was impromptu, called suddenly by Sir Johnny. Do you know him?"

Sora shook his head.

"He was my friend when we were at Traverse Academy. His father was the late Sir James Norrington of Costa del Sol."

"Ah," replied Sora. "Let me guess, when he heard that you were in town, he immediately called for a celebration, huh?"

Tifa nodded. "He's always an impulsive person. I think that's why Cloud hates him."

"Or maybe Cloud thinks that Johnny's trying to take you away from him," suggested the prince of Destiny Islands with a mischievous smile on his face.

The light makeup that Tifa wore did nothing to mask the blush that adorned her face upon hearing the statement. She scoffed in an attempt to dispel the stubborn blush and said, "As if he needs to worry about that. He's better than Johnny in every other way."

Sora simply laughed politely at her words. "Anyways," she said after clearing her throat as another attempt to dispel her blush, "Your masks are in your room. Ask Cloud to come down soon for me, please?"

"Of course, your Majesty," said Roxas when Sora's soft laughter didn't cease. The Nobody then grabbed a hold of his master's arm and pulled him towards the stairs upward to the rooms.

* * *

The following morning, Sora was astonished to hear Roxas waking him up at the breaking of dawn. The previous evening's party had lasted well into the night despite the early departure Cloud had planned. He groaned as his Nobody milled about the room gathering their things up. He briefly wondered how Tifa and Cloud could wake up at such an ungodly hour after having spent all night dancing.

"Sora, wake up," muttered Roxas as he shook the sleepy teen in the bed. The entire luggage had been packed with a fresh set of clothes laid out on the vanity desk for Sora. The prince heaved a sigh of annoyance and opened his eyes tiredly. As he sat up, he yawned, stretching his limbs to loosen the kinks in his joints; the mattress had been too soft for his own likings after all.

"What time is it?" he asked; his voice slurred and raspy. He groaned as Roxas drew open the curtains to reveal the distant rising sun.

"Just a little bit before five," replied his Nobody. "Last I heard, we have a little more than an hour before departure."

Sora tousled his messy hair with a deep exhale. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and yawned again.

"Did you wish to bathe and eat something before we leave?" Roxas inquired.

"Just a bath would be nice," Sora replied, groaning as he got out of bed, stretching out once again.

"As you wish," replied Roxas with a hint of a smile, bowing down. Sora groaned at his actions but couldn't comment before the Nobody slipped into the bathroom to tend to Sora's bath.

The prince of Destiny Islands yawned again as he ran his hands through his greasy hair, grimacing at the oiliness of the strands on his head. He stepped over to the doorway that led into the bathroom and leaned against the wooden frame, watching Roxas preparing his bath.

"You know. I don't like it when you're acting like a servant," he commented with a sniff, wrinkling his nose in the process.

"Did _you_ want to draw your own bath?" replied Roxas sharply, a small smile on his face. His eyes sparkled with meaning as if he was daring the prince to perform his duties.

A blush overcame Sora's face. "You're better at it than I am," he muttered, not willing to admit that he hadn't touched the bathing fixtures to draw his own bath ever since he accidentally scalded himself nearly ten years ago.

Sora wasn't sure if the slightly pained smile that Roxas gave him after that brief statement suggested that Roxas knew of that rather embarrassing episode—after all, he knew everything about Sora—or if the Nobody was hurt by his master's anger that indirectly affect the blonde. But as quickly as the change had come, when Sora blinked again, the smile held no pain, only understanding.

"Well, glad to know that you think I'm better than you at something," the Nobody said. He moved his hand through the water again before turning off the tap for both hot and cold water. He wiped his hands on a nearby towel and gestured for Sora to undress and get in. Sora quickly did so and entered the heated water with a sigh of relief. He relaxed in the warm water and leaned back as Roxas began methodically washing his hair. The Nobody poured a wooden basin of water onto the prince's head, careful not to disturb the peaceful expression on the brunet's face, and lathered up the hair with soap, massaging the prince's scalp much like he had done the third day after he arrived at Destiny Islands.

"You should join me," Sora said as Roxas scratched the scalp gently before applying pressure to the scalp once again.

Though Sora couldn't see it, his Nobody blushed at the suggestion. "I already washed earlier," he said, focusing his eyes and attention on separating the strands that were tangling up.

"The bath's much too large for me," the prince said. "It's not like I haven't seen you naked before." Roxas's face reddened even more.

"It's improper," said Roxas, he hoped that his master wouldn't turn around right then and saw his heated face. Of course, he just had to think that when Sora suddenly turned, suds flying through the air from the soapy hair with the movement.

"You're shy," grinned Sora when he saw his Nobody blushing like Tifa had last night. Roxas couldn't respond to that, but simply looked away, willing his blush to go away.

"If you don't join me, I'll just have to forcibly pull you in," the prince added with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"You wouldn't dare," gaped Roxas.

"Try me," smiled Sora toothily. He grabbed Roxas's thin wrists and began pulling him towards the water. Roxas squeaked indignantly and threw his weight backward, freeing himself from Sora's threatening grip.

"Fine," muttered the Nobody, stripping his dry clothes to do as Sora wished.

Sora marveled at the barely tanned skin of his Nobody. While the blond-haired teen was still thin, too thin for Sora's liking, there was a noticeable difference between when he had first met Sora to now. No longer just skin, bone, and pure muscle, a thin layer of insulation smoothed the skin over the body, making him look considerably better.

Once he was completely undressed, Roxas stepped into the pool tentatively, gasping as the water came into contact with his still tender wounds. Sora made to help him, but Roxas wouldn't allow him as he lowered himself into the pool quickly. He released the tension in his entire body as the water soothed the muscles. He even breathed a sigh, letting the perfume of the floral scented bath to fill his nostrils.

"Now, that wasn't so bad, was it?" grinned Sora.

Roxas's only reply was a sleepy smile. As his entire body relaxed, he allowed himself to float on top of the water, his limbs floating in the water beside him while the water lapped at the side of his face, his stomach, and his chest. He didn't notice how Sora stared at him with a blush on his face that was masked by the temperature of the water, as though he was trying to memorize each curve upon his Nobody's body.

The Nobody didn't let himself relax for long though. He took another deep breath before opening his eyes, the sleepiness that had been on his face instantly vanished.

"Alright, Sora," he said, making his way back over to the edge of the pool where the wooden basin sat. "We should get your hair rinsed up."

With his Nobody turned away from him, Sora grinned mischievously before taking a deep breath. He sank himself into the depths of the pool without even a splash to alert the unsuspecting blonde to his intentions, letting his movement through the water rinse off the suds on their own. The suds that remained at the surface were soon broken up by the small waves, dispersing them toward all parts of the pool.

Roxas reached over to grab the wooden basin just as his master disappeared into the water. When he turned, his eyes wandered over the pool with concern and bewilderment. He waded over to where Sora had been and looked about.

"Sora?" he called out, an upset frown upon his face. "Sora!" he cried, panic gradually taking over.

At that exact moment, the brown-haired teen leaped from his place underneath the surface of the murky mineral-salted water, creating a giant splash as he came up.

Roxas let out a yelp of surprise and hurried away, placing his back against the edge of the pool. His unwounded arm searched haphazardly for his clothes that he had set a little ways from the edge of the bathing pool, where the charms for Oathkeeper and Oblivion rested in a pocket. When he finally recognized the face of the "monster" that had emerged, he stopped his search.

"Sora!" he cried with an admonishing tone. The prince grinned toothily at the Nobody, his poorly rinsed hair matted against his forehead and the side of his face. Trails of water mingled with soap suds fell from the hair and down his face, making him look very much a messy fool.

Sora only snickered as Roxas proceeded to clean the silly prince.

* * *

Shortly after six, the small entourage of Nibelheims set off on their return journey over land from Costa del Sol. Sora braced himself for another seven days of utter frustration as they made their way towards the canyons. The journey toward Cosmo Canyon would take a little more than two days and a half due to the difficulty in traverse across the desert sands that lay between Costa del Sol and Cosmo Canyon.

However, unlike while he was on the ship, Sora wasn't as irritable as he had been then. Sharing a carriage with Tifa, Sora learned more about the Chasers from the keeper of the lore and exchanged his own information about the Chasers with the one who knew them best.

"You know," laughed Tifa at one time. "Maybe you didn't have to spend that much time in Midgar had you gone to Nibelheim first."

"That would've been if I had _known_ that Nibelheim was the capital of Chaser society," jested Sora.

"That's true." Her eyes looked out the window at the afternoon sun.

"It's getting quite late isn't it?" Sora asked, eying the darkening sky.

"We'll be fine. I can see the red canyons coming up. We should arrive at Cosmo Canyon just shortly after sunset," said Tifa.

The carriage jerked to a gradual stop.

"Unless we're stopping?" questioned Sora.

The sound of horseshoes against the hard dirt road came clamoring up against the carriage. A soft whinny and a snort came from outside of the carriage before Cloud peered into the interior with a frown upon his face.

"What is it?" Tifa asked immediately, concern all over her face upon seeing the frown.

"There's an airship heading towards us; looks like it's coming to pick us up from the signal."

Tifa furrowed her eyebrows with greater concern. "Do you recognize the airship?" she asked, her lips set in a thin line.

Cloud nodded solemnly. "It's Cid's Sierra."

"Cid!?" exclaimed Tifa, unlatching the door to descend from the carriage. Roxas was immediately there to open the door and let down the step ladder, assisting the queen of Nibelheim. Sora followed Tifa and looked into the distance at a small thing in the distant skies that twinkled with the said signal.

"Why is Cid coming to pick us up?" murmured Tifa unhappily.

"Something must be wrong," suggested Cloud softly; the frown on Tifa's face deepened.

"Get the carriage unhitched from the horses and tell everyone to prepare to board the airship," said the queen. Cloud nodded in agreement and turned his horse to gallop around the small caravan.

"What's an airship?" asked Sora with curiosity.

"It's a form of transportation available only to Gaia," answered Tifa as she continued to stare at the small flying object in the distance. When she finally forced herself to stop looking at the airship, she turned with a smile at Sora. "Airships allow us to cross great distances on this continent rapidly. Instead of another four-five days on the road from here to Nibelheim, we would get there in overnight."

Sora's eyes widened considerably upon receiving the news, even Roxas's eyebrows raised slightly in astonishment. "How is that possible?" the prince of Destiny Islands asked breathlessly.

"There's a metal that exists only in the earth of Gaia and is common to all part of this continent called Nethicite. It can't be purified from its raw form in the earth. In fact, its only property only exists when it's in contingent with the rest of the Nethicite that remains in the earth. It can allow for ships to fly due to its interactions with Mythril. I'm sure you know of it." She smiled.

"That's one of Destiny Islands' export," replied Sora. "The Islands and Northern Crater are the two major exporters of Mythril and rumor has it that Disney Kingdom also has a large source of Mythril, which would make them another exporter of Mythril if they ever abolish their isolationist stance."

"You know your economies well," commented Tifa, smiling as Sora blushed lightly at the compliment. "Yes. We incorporate Mythril into our metals to build the airships with; this allows for the airships to fly through the air as long as it is in Gaia."

"The airships' energy is generated by the sun, isn't it?" asked Sora.

"Yes. Since Mythril can generate electricity with the solar energy, the airships are very self-sufficient. It is because of this that we can have many airships."

"Then couldn't we have gone from Costa del Sol to Nibelheim via airship?"

"It's difficult to keep an airship flying near the coast where the concentration of Nethicite is below everywhere else in the continent," answered Cloud, dismounting his horse as he neared them. "Everyone's getting ready."

"Just in time too," replied Tifa as the airship descended towards them.

Sora scanned the exterior of the vehicle with wonder: the glowing blue exterior was trademark of Mythril at work. Yet, the technology that's used to create such a machine was akin to Midgar's technology. Several landing gears extended from the bulk of the ship above the cockpit that was connected to the rest of the airship towards the posterior.

A pair of gleaming propellers sat connected to the back of the body of the airship, slowing down in their rotations as the engines idled.

"I was hopin' that I didn't miss ya before ya went into the canyons," came a gruff voice that reminded Sora oddly of Barret. When he turned his head to look at the man, it wasn't a familiar dark black face that stared back. Instead, a gangly man with graying hair and an unshaven face met his eyes. His style of dress was more of a commoner than that of a nobleman, with a plain linen shirt marked by greasy streaks and a pair of cotton pants with so many patches that Sora couldn't help but stare.

"Cid," acknowledged Cloud with a nod. The name clued Sora in on whom the man he was looking at: Lord Cid Highwind of Rocket Town, a protectorate province of Nibelheim. Though the town was technically in Macalania, Nibelheim acquired the province as to establish a foothold in northern Gaia, acting as a watch post of sorts against the ever ambitious Archadian Empire.

Although Cid was the governor of Rocket Town, he appeared more like a pauper than someone who was to report to Tifa for his province's larger issues and Archadian activities near the border.

"Got yer letter last night," the man said, scratching his unshaven chin absent-mindedly.

"What's going on, Cid?" asked Tifa, her voice full of obvious concern.

"We best be on our way first," replied the older man with a frown. He pulled out a stick of tobacco and quickly lit it, breathing in a drag to calm his nerves. He gestured stoically for the caravan to board the airship and waved Tifa and Cloud to follow him; Sora and Roxas followed them in curiosity.

"Wutai's under attack," muttered Cid as they made their way through the various hallways and catwalks that graced the interior of the ship towards a conference room. He barked a quick order to the first mate of the ship to fly for Nibelheim once everyone was secured.

"Yuffie?" Tifa inquired.

"She was in Macalania when the first attack came three days ago. No news of Emperor Goro," replied the airship lord. "Vincent had to drug her to stop her from following him back to Wutai."

"Honestly!" exclaimed Tifa with annoyance. "Did he have to go do that?" She sat down in an upholstered chair with a huff.

"Have you received any news from Vincent?" asked Cloud.

"Just this morning." Here, the tobacco addicted lord scowled. "The invaders carry the banner of Archadia."

Both Tifa and Cloud frowned at this.

"How could we have missed this?" muttered the spiky-haired general. "We should've been able to see the troop movement."

"It's not _just_ Archadia that's attacking," growled Cid. "Tha' bitch Maleficent's helping them. Vince said that they took Maranda."

"It won't be long before they take the Pagoda then," frowned the general.

"Did Elmyra send soldiers?" asked Tifa, her left hand index finger tapped the wooden table lightly as she pondered.

"Two ships full," replied Cid. "Aerith's sent a galleon of her best as well."

"That's not enough," growled Sora, his hands balled into tight fists. His eyes shone with the fury of a thousand storms and his teeth grinded against each other as he seethed.

"No shit. Why the fuck do ya think I'm here!?" replied Cid, equally angry at the situation.

"Cid!" exclaimed Tifa. "Watch your language."

"Sorry," murmured the lord of Rocket Town. He puffed at his cigarette angrily, creating a cloud of smoke that grew around his head. The airship suddenly came to a lurch as the engines roared to life, muffled by the insulated walls of the conference room.

"Anyways," started Cloud, eying the two ill-tempered males with a frown, "We should find a way to get to Wutai. If we can't save the country, we could at least get the people out."

"Even if we do get to the west coast by today, we won't be able to get to Wutai for another two days on the sea," Tifa pointed out unhappily.

Cid snorted with a slanted grin as he mashed his cigarette into the ashtray that had been anchored onto the table. The smoldering remains jumped up from the glass plate before extinguishing in the cool air.

"Luckily," he sniffed proudly, "this ship's perfectly capable of traversing across the sea."

His grin met four pairs of raised eyebrows. "The cockpit can be retracted into the ship's body. Sierra isn't _just_ an airship; she's a bona fide cruiser o'er the waters as well. With our engines, we'll hit Wutai within six hours from Thalmasa."

Sora's face brightened considerably at the new information. "Then what are we waiting for?" he said, pumping his fists in excitement. "Let's get going!"

With a roguish smirk upon his face, Cid replied, "I thought ya'd never ask."

_

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: A bit on the short side… slightly filler-ish… and somewhat awkward at the beginning… I didn't really enjoy trying to flesh out for this chapter. To be honest, I'm not sure where I stand for the next chapter either, haha. While I do want to get to the chapter after the next, since I've already got a scene written for it, I'm not certain how I want to go about filling in the details between Wutai, Nibelheim, and the climatic twist at the End of the World (I won't tell you what the twist is… XP). Hopefully whatever the result is, it'll be acceptable for me and enjoyed by you all._

_Quick references. Ivalice is the world from FF12; here it's a continent. The other four continents are Galbadia from FF8, Gaia from FF7, Wutai from FF7, and Agrabah from well… you know. By the way, Agrabah will be the northernmost continent for obvious ironic reasons, haha. Archadia is the invading enemy country from FF12. The material Nethicite is also from FF12 while Mythril's from FF/KH. Thalmasa and Maranda are both towns from FF6. And of course, James Norrington is from Pirates of the Caribbean._

_There was a semi-alternate ending to this chapter where someone says "You're full of hot air" to Cid and Cid proceeding to agree but add the detail that it's the ship that's full of hot air to continue on explaining that the airship has the capabilities of being a hot air balloon so they can traverse across the strait between Gaia and Wutai. But I didn't feel like there was anyone who was capable of uttering such words since they're so ridiculous. And secondly, if there were airships using hot air instead of this magical repelling characteristic between Mythril and Nethicite, then Sora would know more about these vehicles, even though they would most likely use up way too much resources to be functioning over long distances such as across the ocean that span between Gaia and Galbradia._

_And just another note, writing Cid was probably the most amusing part of this chapter for me. Cusses are a must! XD_


	15. The Battle for Wutai

_To reviewers of chapter 13 (scroll down a few if you want to get to the story, sorry!):_

_DarkBombayAngel: Well, I guess it'll depend on how you see this next chapter. Let me know if you think things went well in Wutai (wink), hehe._

_becauseimthefavorite: I do agree that Cid is awesome. It's too bad that I can't really make him play a bigger role than he has currently. Hope this next chapter was worth the wait._

_niwa-k: I think there aren't a lot of KH fics with Cid in it because of the way he's portrayed in the KH games. He is so not the country bumpkin that they dubbed him with. And since I'm not a fan of the KH Cid, I brought the FF7 Cid over! XD Glad you enjoyed the chapter._

_LupinandHarry: Not sure how long he'll stick around, but I think I've got it planned for him to stick around until the biggest battle for the world. He'll provide the comic relief this fic sorely needs, yeah!? Haha._

_iOchibi: Yeah, it was kind of a "meh" on my part to give Roxas a smaller role in that chapter, mostly because it was a filler chapter, I guess. And yup, Kairi and Riku will be making their returns._

_Jenediah Freak: They will eventually go to Twilight Town, but right now, there is no need for them to go there since Sora's on a quest to get the Keyblades. Riku has the Twilight Town Keyblade after all. I'm not sure what you mean by Sora having a rival against Roxas, but it's highly unlikely that Roxas, still having the mentality to overprotect his master (wink), would want to compete against Sora for grandeur, haha._

_Wave Replica (summerIIfire I believe?): I'm going to assume that you hadn't kept up with the fic since the last time you reviewed, haha. To be honest, there is a reason why the change in Roxas seems drastically fast. It's something that I needed it to be there for later on in the story. When you say Sora will be given an airship, that just makes me thing this entire fic is some FF game, haha._

_Safety Pins and Vampires: It's certainly a rare gushy moment for the two, hehe. While I'm not sure if I would ever become a successful author, I thank you for the vote of confidence._

_FrozenFire42: Well, maybe not as big as the one in Destiny Islands, but big enough to be sure, haha. I say that cute and fluffiness simply adds another dimension to this fic, don't you think? Glad to know that you LOVE the story, XD._

_Gamemaster77: I certainly hope you didn't skip all the chapters between chapter 5 and chapter 14, XP. After all, there are actually quite a few chapters that are central to this story. Still, I'm glad you like the chapters that you've read._

_Azuresapphire15: Unfortunately, it is unlikely that the relationship will speed up _that_ fast. But, there will be more fluff in the upcoming chapters, just… not really this one (sadface)._

_splintered: You know, I think you're the third or fourth reviewer who's said that they've stayed up late to read this fic XD. Thanks a lot for the support. And honestly, "Death" is currently my favorite chapter as well. I really enjoyed fleshing out the fight between Roxas and Ienzo, the nightmare, and Roxas's reaction to the nightmare. Hope you'll enjoy the rest of the fic whenever I update, hehe._

**

* * *

Chapter 14 – The Battle for Wutai**

* * *

As the Gaians had said, a sudden jolt in the otherwise smooth journey through the air was proof that they had entered into the waters. The unexpected tremor, coupled with the enormous splash of water that thundered against the thick glass of the viewport in Sora's cabin, was enough to wake Sora from his slumber.

He grunted, more in confusion than in annoyance of having been disturbed in his sleep, and then cleared his throat, looking about the smallish room carpeted with a hard red with blurry eyes. Finally realizing that he was actually awake rather than still sleeping, he groaned loudly at the sound of engines and waves pounding against the hull of the ship.

Sora yawned and shook his head to clear his head, smacking his lips as the taste of morning breath brought a grimace to his face. His eyes followed Roxas, who had risen from his own bed to pull the dark blue curtain aside from the small viewport.

"Where are we?" Sora asked, his voice hoarse with sleep.

"Looks like we just entered the Strait of Rozarria," Roxas replied. Sora's eyes widened with surprise, quickly getting out of bed to join Roxas at the viewport.

"Wow," marveled Sora loudly, awed by both the speed of the airship, having traversed half the width of Gaia overnight and the sight of exotic birds that he knew to be local to the strait from his tutors. The multicolored sea gulls glided through the air near and far from the ship that was speeding across the waters. Every once in a while, a splash of water obscured their vision, but the sight of the sea gulls never left the viewport. Sora strained his ears, hoping to hear the calls of the birds as their beaks opened and closed.

A sharp rap on the door turned the two youths' attention away from the viewport.

"Come in," said Sora loudly, his face distorted in displeasure as his voice came out hoarse and much too grating on his ears despite the sounds of the airship that surrounded them.

The metal door to his cabin opened as Tifa's head peeked in tentatively. Upon seeing the pair up and about, she entered into the cabin with a smile on her face. What Sora hadn't been expecting was the outfit that the queen of Nibelheim had on her.

Compared to her usual garb, one could say that Tifa's outfit was outright scandalous. She wore a white sleeveless shirt, covered by a black leather vest that served as some protection, buttoned up to show off her sensuous curves. The bottom of the shirt was cut short just above her belly button, allowing her to show off a bit a skin between her shirt and the short black breeches that she wore. From the tightness of the breeches on her, Sora could tell that there was some protective padding underneath. A length of black cloth ran down the back of her legs from her waist, allowing her to hide whatever weapon she decided to conceal as well as serving as a distraction of sorts; though Sora wasn't entirely sure how well the black cloak would work against a seasoned warrior. A pair of black leather boots completed the ensemble.

The prince of Destiny Islands could see that she had been speaking to him as she put on a pair of well worn black leather gloves, but he heard none of the words.

"…around two hours past noon," concluded Tifa. Sora shook his head and blinked deliberately.

"Sorry, what?" he asked, confessing to his moment of inattention.

Tifa placed her gloved hands on her hips, shaking her head in mock annoyance. "Is it really surprising to see me dressing like this?" she asked, gesturing at her own body with emphasis.

Sora blushed at those words. "Why exactly _are_ you dressed like that?" he decided to ask instead, coming up with no words to answer Tifa's own question.

"Isn't it obvious?" she replied. "I'm fighting with you guys."

Roxas raised his eyebrows; while he did not doubt the queen's fighting abilities, the gear that she opted to don for fighting was quite unorthodox.

"You can fight?" squeaked Sora, his feet shifting backwards as if he were afraid of the now-smirking woman.

She pulled her right foot back and brought up her fists in ready stance. "Want to find out?" she asked with a feral grin upon her heart-shaped face. It was in that face that Sora found Tifa to be as deadly as she is beautiful.

"Does General Cloud know, your Majesty?" Roxas asked quietly.

"That I can fight?" Tifa asked, her fists lowered as she stood back up tall. The tension and irrational fear that stilled Sora faded away as well.

The Nobody shook his head. "That your Majesty is dressed as such."

"Of course," replied the queen easily, "he was the one who helped me design such an outfit."

"I have to say…" started Sora, clearing his throat as he continued awkwardly, "I wasn't aware that Cloud would help with that kind of design…"

The black-haired woman giggled. "Don't you know? Cloud's a pervert."

"Who you calling a 'pervert'?" came Cloud's voice as he peeked into Sora's cabin. The brown-haired prince's eye twitched once in amazement; the general seemed to have an uncanny ability to join in at the most appropriate moments.

While Cloud expressed mock annoyance at the woman with wine-colored eyes, the mischievous smirk on Tifa's face made her look years younger than she actually was. The giggle that followed caused Sora to raise an eyebrow in bewilderment. After all, he had never seen Tifa act immaturely ever since he met her three years ago after she had just graduated from Traverse Academy. Though she had always carried herself properly in the presence of Sora, the prince of Destiny Islands surmised that it was due to her interactions with her childhood friend that Tifa was showing him another side of herself.

Tifa threw what looked like a playful punch to Cloud; but before the fist connected to the man's shoulder, Cloud stepped aside to avoid the punch altogether.

"Aww," pouted Tifa, "you're no fun."

"That's because I don't want a bruise to form and make it hard on me to fight in the next couple of hours," replied Cloud. "You never knew when to pull your punch."

"I do too," muttered Tifa with displeasure, crossing her arms with a huff. The anger didn't last long, however, as she turned to regard Sora once more.

"In any case, as I was saying while you were zoning out," Tifa said with an emphatic cough. Sora blushed again at his lapse in attention. "Cid said that we'll be arriving in Wutai around two hours after lunch, assuming lunch is around noon."

"Maybe it'd be better to eat earlier," suggested Sora, patting his stomach unconsciously.

"Perhaps," replied Tifa neutrally. "Come on. Let's go have a practice spar. It wouldn't do in battle if our bodies betray us with lack of preparation on our part."

Sora nodded in agreement while Cloud shook his head in amusement and mild exasperation.

* * *

Like Tifa said, they landed on the Wutain coast within three hours of their early lunch. The sight they saw upon disembarking from the airship was truly despairing, freezing them to their place as the group surveyed the village that was once there.

"This is terrible," breathed Sora, breaking the spell that rooted them in their place. The tiny group of Tifa, Cloud, Sora, and Roxas slowly made their way into the village that was burnt to the ground. Around them, the smell of flames permeated the air. The sound of buildings still crumbling echoed in the distance.

Though the sight of burning wood poured despair upon them, the lack of charred bodies amongst the ruins gave some of them hope that all was not lost.

"I wonder if everyone got out all right?" murmured Tifa, her eyes scanning about them with careful scrutiny.

"Unless they were turned into Heartless," whispered Roxas. Though he hadn't meant it to be heard by anyone else but himself and Sora, the wind carried it to the other two, who froze briefly before continuing on; the flame of hope flickered ever so slightly.

"No!" a pained cry came from behind them. A blur quickly passed them like a breeze and Sora was only able to see the back of the girl who ran past. The large shuriken on her back and the traditional Wutain ninja garb was clue enough for Tifa.

"Yuffie! Wait!" she called after the distraught princess of Wutai and gave chase; the others followed close behind.

The short-haired princess Yuffie skidded to a stop upon reaching the center plaza where the large stone statue of her ancestor, the founder of Wutai, laid broken on its side. A giant paw print cratered next to where the statue would've been on top of its pedestal.

When they arrived at the plaza, Tifa went straight to stand next to Yuffie, offering her silent support as the shorter woman, barely eighteen, looked upon the fallen symbol of Wutai forlornly.

"I didn't know that Yuffie was on the airship," commented Sora softly, understanding what Yuffie was going through though Destiny Islands has never fallen to enemy forces.

"We picked her up around midnight last night," said Cloud grimly. "It was better that we take her with us rather than leave her behind in Macalania since she would undoubtedly seek a more dangerous route to hasten to Wutai."

"Ah," murmured Sora. The general of Nibelheim knelt down next to the giant track and examined it with narrowed eyes.

"This place had been so lively," said Yuffie, her voice weak yet strong with emotions. "So many festivals."

"I recognize these tracks," stated Cloud. He stood up to scrutinize it further and confirm his suspicions. He walked over to a crumbled building, picking a handful of what's left of the wooden frame. The remains disintegrated in his hand, turning into black dust that fell to the earth.

"It's Cerberus," he concluded gravely. "Hades was here."

"If Hades was here, then it's not _just_ Maleficent who's representing the Imperialists," frowned Tifa. Cloud nodded in agreement.

"It would appear that the entire legion of the Bastion Imperialists have come to conquer Wutai, your Highnesses," commented Roxas.

"No doubt they would be heading to the Pagoda," commented Sora grimly. They looked towards the west, the foothills hiding the capital from the coast, from eyes that might seek the downfall of Wutai.

"It's another day's journey to the Pagoda on foot," reported Cid, exhaling a thick cloud of smoke after taking a long drag from the cigarette that dangled from his lips.

"That's time we don't have," hissed Yuffie. "We have to hurry!"

"If we hurry, we wouldn't be much of a fuckin' reinforcement!" retorted Cid.

"Enough, Cid," said Cloud before Yuffie and Cid got into a shouting contest, which they didn't need at the moment. Yuffie crossed her arms with an angry harrumph while Cid puffed away at his tobacco. Neither said another word as the blond-haired general looked from one to the other.

"Cid, how many Chocobos do you have stabled on Sierra?"

The disgruntled airship captain and lord of Rocket Town spat out the cigarette and crushed the embers underneath his boots viciously, grinding the ashes into the black dirt beneath him. A scowl was upon his face as he regarded the general of Nibelheim, who returned his glare coolly.

"Six," he answered gruffly. "That's the maximum number that I could've stabled on the Sierra."

"Then it's decided. Tifa, Yuffie, Sora, Roxas, and I will take the Chocobos and ride for the Pagoda. You will lead the rest of the men there on foot."

"Fuck no!" cursed Cid. "I ain't letting tha' shit happen on me! What the fuck am I supposed to tell Elmyra if-"

"We'll be fine, Cid," interrupted Tifa, her face set in stone, brooking no space for further arguments.

The grey-haired man looked from royalty to royalty, seeing only determination and the spirit to fight the Imperialists in their faces. While he vehemently disagreed with the plan that they had proposed, he knew that the four royalties were unlikely to change their mind. That and it's the best plan they currently have.

"Fine," he muttered, leading the way back to the airship. Roxas had already dashed away in front of them to reach to the Chocobos before they reached the transport.

His feet pattered metallically against the flooring of the vehicle as he ran up the ramp and through the largish luggage hold before entering a wide hallway. He turned sharply to the left down another short hallway and entered the stables at the end. As Cid said, six Chocobos warbled calmly in their respective stables. Two of them were preening themselves, another was taking a quick drink, while two others were moving about their pens slowly, and the last one was apparently sleeping.

Making a quick evaluation of the six magnificent birds, he quickly chose on the five waking birds, leaving a still sleeping golden Chocobo undisturbed.

"Let me help," came a man's voice. Roxas turned to find the man in charge of the stables grabbing a harness to saddle a Chocobo with. The Nobody nodded with a stony face, but his eyes twinkled with gratitude. Whether the man noticed or not, he gave the younger man a smirk and continued on with his task.

With their expert hands, they quickly prepared the five Chocobos for journey and just in time to find the four members of their respective royal families finishing their own preparations with small packs of rations for consumption on the way to the Pagoda. The Chocobos, who seemed to realize what their journey is about, squawked out their versions of a war cry and stamped their feet excitedly.

Without being prompted, Roxas handed over the individual reins to each of the aristocrats, helping Yuffie up when she struggled with the harness in her worried state. He mounted his own Chocobo, a deep black one that fluffed her own feathers while adjusting to the weight of her rider, and grasped the reins with one hand, leaving his other hand free behind him in typical Chocobo riding stance.

"We'll see you all tomorrow," said Cloud, giving a nod to Cid.

"Yeah, yeah," replied the man gruffly. "Git going before ya drive me nuts even more with yer crazy schemes."

Tifa grinned at the airship lord. "Thanks, Cid."

"Yah!" shouted Yuffie as she set her golden Chocobo on a gallop toward the distant foothills. Cloud and Tifa followed shortly while Roxas waited until his master gave a short wave before they both followed after the trails of dust that the fast Chocobos kicked up.

They sped through the ruins of the seaside village without another glance and entered the great savanna that eventually gave way to rocky canyons and the foothills that surrounded the Pagoda of Wutai.

* * *

The battle for the Pagoda was well underway by the time the riders had reached the summit of the well-traveled path leading to the capital of Wutai four hours after their departure from the seaside village. The sound of metal clashing blended with the shouts of men and audible movements of the Heartless. A loud roar echoed through the basin where the Pagoda resided, catching the attention of the riders as they espied a large black creature on the far side of the basin.

Upon their initial observations, they were relieved to find that the Wutain army holding their own against the encroaching dark tide. Still, they knew better than anyone the nature of the Heartless, especially under the command of Maleficent. They knew of the relentless pursuit by the Heartless to consume all light for their insatiable appetites for hearts.

That knowledge simply made them more determined to save Wutai.

Under the red-orange sun, the five pulled out their weapons and held them aloft over their heads, the orange light glinting off the metallic surfaces like beacons of hope.

"For Wutai!" cried Yuffie. The voice boomed through the basin and reverberated off the rocky faces on the opposite side of the basin. Without letting the echo fade, she led her Chocobo in a charge, the other four following closely behind as their own Chocobos squawked in response to her cry. It was as though they could sense battle coming up before them, because they ran faster than ever, pecking at the Heartless that got in their way while their riders swung their weapons at others.

A battle cry of hope sounded around them as the Wutains rallied against the black tide with their princess fighting with them. They fought even harder than before and the advantage shifted to the Wutain side.

Unfortunately, the rally was short lived when a loud roar shook their bones. The five riders paused in their advances through the ranks of Heartless and found Hades sitting on top of Cerberus off to their right.

"I got him," gritted Cloud, turning his Chocobo toward the giant beast.

"Get to the Pagoda," said Tifa before she too turned her Chocobo to follow Cloud. Yuffie and Sora looked at each other with grim faces and nodded.

They continued their fight toward the fortified tower and the voice of an elderly man barking out orders brought a relieved smile to Yuffie's face. She looked upward and found her father standing regally in his royal armor on the third floor balcony. Around him, archers shot their arrows at the invaders.

"Vincent!" shouted Yuffie happily upon seeing the gunslinger a little ways from the Pagoda. Without another word to Sora, she steered her Chocobo to join the older man in battle.

"Stay with the Pagoda, Roxas," said Sora, "I trust that you will keep it safe." His Nobody looked at him with alarm, following his eyesight toward the distant black figure. The double-pointed black hat and sickeningly thin figure was enough to prove that it was Maleficent. She had her arms raised, her face looking upward to the rolling gray clouds. Her cackling voice barely carried over the tumult of the battle below her.

"Don't," said Roxas softly, his free hand reaching out to stay Sora. The brown-haired prince looked down at the hand that grasped his forearm and up to look at Roxas with mild confusion.

"If I don't go, she's going to summon Behemoth," hissed Sora angrily. He shook his arm from his Nobody's grasp and prepared on his way again.

"I have a bad feeling about it," the blonde murmured. "Just be careful," he added, knowing that his master wouldn't change his mind easily.

"Of course," grinned Sora, spurring his Chocobo towards Maleficent with all haste.

Roxas watched as the brown-haired teen disappear into the wave of Heartless that stood between himself and Maleficent and bit his lower lip with mild concern. Though his heart told him to follow after Sora, his mind stilled his place, reminding himself that Sora had ordered him to defend the Pagoda and he knew that if Wutai fell under his watch, Sora would never forgive him. Thus, Roxas focused his attention on the Heartless that surrounded the Pagoda.

The black Chocobo that he sat upon warbled softly before shifting upwards, giving Roxas a boost as he leaped off the majestic creature and flipped in the air, summoning his Oathkeeper at the same time that Shadows had jumped up to where he once sat. He quickly decimated the Heartless that landed upon the bird and began attacking the Shadows, Neoshadows, Armored Knights, and Soldiers around him. Beside him, the Chocobo attacked the Heartless as well, pecking at the Shadows where they appeared.

A sudden squawk beside him caught Roxas's attention and he found a nasty gash in one of his Chocobo's wings. The bloodied appendage of an Armored Knight brought a frown to Roxas's face and he turned sharply to attack the offending Heartless. Before he had a chance to destroy it however, the beak of the Chocobo came snapping at the Heartless, crushing the metal armor and destroying the shadowy entity that hid underneath the metal. Roxas approached the elegant bird with concern, eying the enemy as he guarded her wounded wing.

"You should go to the Pagoda, Alita," he said softly to her. The Chocobo warbled in response, snapping her beak belligerently with obvious intentions; she had no plans of following Roxas's suggestion.

The Nobody sniffed with amusement at the creature's intelligent reply. "You going to be fine?" he asked instead. Alita replied with an affirmative "wark!" Roxas smiled with the desire to fight the enemy burning in his eyes. Together, the two unlikely friends fought against the encroaching Heartless and beat the invaders away from the Pagoda with the help of the Wutain army. Slowly but surely, the number of their enemies began to dwindle with no new Heartless appearing to replace the ones that were destroyed.

A cheer swept across the Wutain men and women upon this realization. The tide was finally turning towards their favor.

To the northwest midway between the Pagoda and the rocky faces, Yuffie and Vincent were having similar success with the Heartless as well. They had forced the Heartless to retreat without losing a single man to the darkness. With the imminent threat around the Pagoda gone, the two black-haired Wutains returned to the Pagoda to join with the rest of the defenders. Yuffie jumped to the third floor to join her father at the balcony, her eyes scanning the battlefield for her friends.

Tifa and Cloud were in the general area where they had engaged Cerberus in battle and they were holding their own against the three-headed dog. Unfortunately, they were not without injuries. Tifa sported a nasty gash on her upper left arm from when the creature had clawed at her. And from what Yuffie can tell with her narrowed eyes, the wound was bleeding rather profusely. Blood streamed down thinly on Cloud's face, signifying a head wound to the swordsman. The princess of Wutai frowned at the sight.

However, she realized that Hades was nowhere to be found near the two fighters, bringing a smile to her face. The blue-haired creep undoubtedly had retreated after Cloud and Tifa gave him a good whooping even with Cerberus there.

She looked in the other direction and frowned worriedly upon seeing Maleficent floating in midair, her staff twirling above her as it glowed a wicked green. A roar to her right caught her attention and she found Cloud and Tifa standing triumphantly upon Cerberus's unmoving body before it disintegrated to the ground into a pile of black ash. Their Chocobos continued their assault on the Heartless that got too close to their riders.

Simultaneously, Cloud and Tifa remounted their Chocobos, who didn't seem weary at al, and headed towards the direction of Maleficent.

"Roxas!" Yuffie shouted out to the Nobody who had just finished bandaging up his Chocobo's wounded wing. "Go help Sora!"

The blonde nodded silently and looked at Alita. She gestured for him to get on and, before he even got settled, ran off in the direction of the prince of Destiny Islands as well.

* * *

Sora's scowl deepened as he tried to reach the witch that floated above him, but could not. That didn't stop him from trying of course as he searched for ways to reach the malicious woman. His Chocobo chirped out a "wark" and bounced up and down in place to get his rider's attention.

"What is it?" he asked with guarded interest, his eyes looking at the bird briefly before looking back up at Maleficent.

One particularly hard bounce nearly bucked Sora over until he realized what the Chocobo wanted to do. The scowl on his face turned into an expectant smile.

"Okay then," he said. "On three. One. Two. Three!" The Chocobo leaped upward just as Sora got his feet underneath him and on the seat of the saddle. He jumped up from the boost and brought his Keyblade downward at the witch's head, knocking the staff from its unnatural place above Maleficent and cutting through one of the two horns on her hat.

Maleficent screeched in rage, grabbing her falling staff as Sora landed on the ground with a smirk on his face. Her eyes narrowed in anger as they found the Keyblade master.

"Insolent fool!" she cried. "I will kill you myself!"

Sora brought his Keyblade up as the witch descended to the ground, one hand semi-outstretched next to her as a green fireball grew in that same hand. He hissed in a breath when she threw the magical attack at him. The speed at which it traveled was unexpected.

Luckily, Sora's reflexes allowed him to dodge the fireball by throwing himself to the ground. The sound and the sensation of heat as the fireball hit a wall behind him told Sora plenty of the destructive power of the fireball.

He leaped up from the ground where he had laid and blocked an attack from the witch's staff. Seeing the sinister smile on Maleficent's face, Sora quickly distanced himself as another fireball formed in the woman's hand. Unable to dodge the incoming attack, the prince brought his Keyblade up to block it.

The fireball exploded upon impact with Sora's Keyblade and covered the Keyblade wielder with smoke. Sora coughed and winced when smoke came in contact with his watering eyes. A short cackle from the witch went unnoticed before the witch lunged at the distracted teen with the sharp end of her staff, aiming for his unguarded chest.

A loud "wark" followed by the sound of wood cracking forced the attack off course and the sharp tip sliced across Sora's cheek. The witch, with Sora's Chocobo still grabbing her staff in his beak, crashed into the Keyblade wielder, knocking him out of the smoke and down onto the ground.

"Let go of my staff, you imbecile!" screeched Maleficent. The stubborn Chocobo didn't give way; instead, his beak tightened around the wooden staff, causing the wood to splinter more.

The wicked woman let out a grunt of exasperation before lifting her free hand up. Sora's eyes widened with alarm as a fireball formed in her hand. Unfortunately, he couldn't do anything with his Chocobo practically on top of him as the creature wrest with Maleficent for the staff, completely missing the strike that was about to come.

"No, Boco!" Sora cried as the fireball came down on the golden Chocobo. Boco squawked in pain and released the staff, the fireball burning through his feathers and flesh with ease. The acrid smell of burnt flesh filled the air, stilling the prince of Destiny Islands. The poor Chocobo thrashed in pain as the fireball burned within him before he became motionless, his dead body pinning down the stunned prince.

The squawks of Chocobos filled the air as they all cried for their fallen friend. The sound was so filled with emotions that even the Heartless quivered with sadness, much to the Wutains' surprise.

"Now, you die!" Maleficent cried triumphantly, summoning another fireball in her hand. Her black beady eyes glistened with maddened glee. Sora looked up with a dazed look in his eyes, not realizing the imminent danger he was in.

"Not if we can help it!" came Tifa's voice as she launched herself from her own Chocobo at the witch, flipping in midair before throwing a hard punch at the black-clad woman. Her punch missed as the witch evaded the attack, jumping off to the side.

Roxas quickly dismounted and stood in front of his still stunned master. The Chocobos, likewise, surrounded their fallen friend and his rider, protecting them with fierce fire burning in their eyes. Their warbles were low and threatening, staring at the witch who simply sneered at the creatures' animosity towards her.

"Give it up, Maleficent," said Cloud, his hands on his Ultima Weapon with anticipation. "You're all alone."

The witch sniffed derisively at the presence of the fighters, knowing that she was outnumbered, especially with the presence of the two Keyblade wielders.

Just when they thought that the witch would quietly disappear, she began laughing loudly, cawing like the ravens that flocked towards her.

"I will return soon. Until then, let me leave you a present." She lifted her staff up just as a bolt of lightning crashed down on the magical item, passing through it to char the ground. Where the black spot was, a thing began to form.

"Wutai will be mine!" she cried with maniacal laughter, disappearing where she stood. The thing continued to grow as thousands of yellow eyes stared out at them. The creature easily over-towered everyone and everything.

"Roxas, get Sora out of here!" yelled Tifa. "Alita, Evelin, Shim, take Boco back to the Pagoda," she added melancholically. "Please."

The Chocobos warbled softly in response before gently pulling their friend's dead body off of the catatonic prince's own. Slowly, with the protection of Wutains around them, the Chocobos began their mournful trek back to the Pagoda. Roxas quickly picked up Sora and slung his free arm around his own shoulder, half-carrying, half-dragging the prince away from the scene of a soon-to-be intense battle. Yuffie and Vincent ran past them as they came to help Tifa and Cloud. No one attempted to console the prince for their own grief in having lost one of their friends was too close to their own hearts.

The roar of the creature shook the ground and sent ruined buildings down to the ground in piles of debris. Sora suddenly stopped in his tracks and stiffened. His eyes cleared from the stunned grief that had clouded the blue irises, but a strange hollowness replaced the cloudiness. He pushed himself harshly away from Roxas's supporting hands and pivoted on his feet, looking at the completed monstrosity that towered over his allies and friends.

"Sora!" shouted Roxas with concern when his master dashed away from him, back toward the black dragon-like creature.

The Ultima Keyblade, which had lain forgotten just a few minutes ago shortly after Boco's death, was back in Sora's right hand, glowing brightly under the moon with nightfall. His other hand was not entirely free either as black spheres appeared out of nowhere on Sora's left hand side. They gathered to form a weapon that had not been seen since the days of the Three—the Keyblade that had no name had returned.

The Nameless Key's obsidian blade glinted coldly under the pale moonlight and its presence stilled everyone but Sora. A red glow emanated from the blade in the presence of the Ultima Keyblade. Tendrils flowed out of the pair of blades and covered Sora in a blend of black and white. But the tendrils were clearly intangible as they flowed and shifted around the teen's body. The face of the Keyblade wielder was impassive and decorated by the black of the Nameless Key.

Formed from the essences of Heartless, the Nameless Key was a double-edged blade for the wielder and the Heartless. Roxas now understood the meaning of such a weapon when he found a dull pain in his chest, as though his heart was on the verge of being crushed and ripped out of him. His hands unconsciously went to cover his heart, though the phantom pain didn't really bother him at all. Around him, he could see Wutains doubling over in pain as Shadows emerged from the ground, their yellow eyes staring at the Nameless Key with obvious desire.

Tifa's eyes narrowed in suspicion when the monster in front of her stopped moving to stare past her and her friends. A sharp cry of pain from her right showed Yuffie collapsing onto her knees with her hands over her heart. The sound of weapons dropping followed soon as both Cloud and Vincent fell to the same malady as Yuffie suddenly did.

The queen of Nibelheim looked about her with bewilderment as the Wutains around them all succumbed to the pains that plagued them. The thought of "why wasn't I affected" briefly flashed across her mind before her wine-colored eyes fell onto the wraith-like image of Sora, who clearly wasn't himself. The sight of the black Keyblade answered all of her questions.

Sora passed by the silent woman without another glance while Tifa could hardly believe her own eyes. She whipped around to confirm her sight when the prince of Destiny Islands stopped in front of the Heartless dragon, looking up with cold eyes.

The air stilled in the basin and the light that once illuminated the area was suddenly extinguished. The sky was moonless and starless; cold and fear settled upon them oppressively. The black-haired woman suddenly felt like time had stopped, her eyes widened with grotesque fascination when she could no longer hear the sounds of pain around her.

The wielder of the Nameless Key raised the red-tinted blade upward. A white outline appeared around the weapon, but the feeling emanated from the magical weapon was not one of hope, but rather one of despair, a bleak future under the anarchy of the Heartless.

The dragon-like monster growled dangerously as the blade rested to a stop in the air, its tip pointed upward with the sharp blade facing the dragon. The outline faded away, but Tifa could see a black glow followed by a dark red flare around the Nameless Key even though there was no light. A shrill screeching pierced the air as the moon and the stars suddenly returned to cast light upon the destruction of the dragon.

The essence of the dragon and the Heartless around them were being pulled to the Nameless Key like a vacuum. The Shadows writhed and tried to run away from the Key but no matter how far they wriggled away, they were ultimately absorbed by the Nameless Key. The dragon itself fell apart into thousands of Heartless that were sucked into the Nameless Key as well. The black of the unnamed weapon deepened and surrounded Sora more, pushing the white that was the Ultima Keyblade away from the prince of Destiny Islands.

Yet, despite the destruction of the Heartless around them, the heart-crushing malady remained. Tifa knew that she needed to do something to stop the Nameless Key from possessing Sora, but her body seemed frozen to the spot.

"Sora!" exclaimed Roxas as he continued to walk toward his unusually stoic master. One hand rested upon Tifa's shoulder as the Nobody took his steps deliberately, his blood burning within him in the presence of the Nameless Key. "Snap out of it!"

The brown-haired prince made no move to acknowledge the blond-haired boy's presence or words.

Not one to give up, Roxas clenched his fist on his shirt even tighter as he crossed the last dangerous steps to Sora. All the while, his heart pounded painfully in its cage and he could hardly breathe with his rapid heartbeat.

"Sora," he gritted out once again before laying his hand on Sora's left arm that now hung limply at his side. It didn't surprise the Nobody that a burning sensation met his hand when it came into contact with the black covered limb. What was a surprise was the sudden disappearance of the discomfort that had been in his heart. In fact, he felt numb within, but didn't think much about it as he placed his hands on Sora's own.

Keeping his eyes on Sora's darkened blue ones, Roxas watched the pupils dilate and constrict erratically while he pried the prince's fingers off the hilt of the Nameless Key one by one. With each finger off of the cursed Keyblade, the black that covered Sora began to recede and the color of the eyes began to return to their normal sky blue. However, had Roxas retained his tactile senses, he would've felt wetness on his hands dripping down onto the hard-packed dirt ground stained with the ashes of Heartless and blood of dead Wutains alike.

With each finger off, the black cover swirled about Sora more rapidly and clung to him more desperately, leaving behind cuts that were thin but bled profusely. At long last, the unnatural black cloak fell from Sora's body, disintegrating into dust. Sora's eyes rolled back as he fell unconscious and Roxas quickly caught him before laying him down gently onto the ground.

The gleam of the Nameless Key dulled as it sat on the ground. The blond-haired Nobody eyed the blade with distaste, but knew what needed to be done. He picked up the cursed blade, gritting his teeth as black swirls began traveling up his arm. He closed his eyes tightly and, with the power drawn from having the blood of Terra the Elder flowing within him, willed the Keyblade to be dismissed, succeeding in such when the blade began to lose its form and break apart into black spheres that disappeared into thin air much as it had appeared.

Instantly, the oppressive atmosphere lifted and the men and women who fought for Wutai picked themselves up with slight confusion, each one of them looking to the other for the elusive answers. Still, there were plenty of others who were light at heart in having successfully defended the Pagoda of Wutai and cheers erupted throughout the basin.

"What the hell-" Yuffie began before Tifa interrupted her.

"Not the time for questions," she said, eying the unconscious Keyblade wielder on the ground. She looked up at Cloud, who nodded in understanding.

"Vincent," he said, "let's take care of things around here. We'll need to prepare for another battle in the near future if Maleficent is to be believed."

"Of course," nodded the black-haired man solemnly.

Roxas picked up Sora's limp body and carried him bridal style toward the Pagoda, concern painted across his face. Tifa and Yuffie followed closely behind.

* * *

The Nobody watched over the prone form of his master with careful eyes. Though he was indeed tired, he refused to succumb to rest. Not until he knows that Sora was or would be okay.

"You should get some sleep," came a soft feminine voice. Roxas turned to regard the figure in the doorway and made to stand to show his respects, but Tifa raised a hand to stop him.

"No need for formalities," she said, stepping into the room quietly. "You're technically a member of royalty after all."

Roxas's eyes widened at her words.

"You know?"

Tifa nodded but didn't provide an explanation. Her eyes scanned over Sora's sleeping body with expert scrutiny. A thick salve had been applied on his arm, now covered in layers of white bandages from the elbow to the hands. The same salve had been applied on the cheek where Maleficent had cut him with her staff. The youth had been unconscious since they rushed him back to the Pagoda more than four hours ago and it didn't appear that the teen would be waking up any time soon.

"You should get some sleep," Tifa said once again, her mind recording the appearance of the sleeping Sora.

"Will Sora be okay?" the blond-haired Nobody asked instead of answering Tifa. His small voice trembled with dammed emotions. When Tifa turned to look at the younger boy, she found his hands gripping each other tightly and his hunched over posture was unnaturally tense.

"I don't know," she replied. Both knew of the dangers revolving around the Nameless Key: how it drew its power from the wielder and the Heartless that surrounded it. Its sinister properties force the wielder's soul to mingle with the Heartless. The worst thing that could've happened was the loss of Sora's soul.

"How could this have happened?" murmured Roxas almost angrily, angry at himself for letting this happen. He balled his hands into fists and slammed down at his thighs.

"Too much death and too many Heartless," answered Tifa simply. "It wasn't something we could've foreseen. The fact that Boco died right on top of him was the last thing the Key needed." Roxas looked up expectantly at the woman, whose face was strangely stony compared to her usual compassionate self. "There was nothing we could've done." She turned her face to look Roxas in the eye, though her own wine-colored eyes softened with understanding, "Nothing _you_ could've done. It's not your fault."

The blond-haired Nobody turned away silently, his eyes swam with concern and uncertainty.

"One thing's for sure," continued Tifa with mild levity. "If Sora doesn't wake up from this…" She paused in her sentence, pursing her lips in preparation for the unsavory news she was about to impart. "You will have to complete his task."

Roxas's eyes widened with surprise. His head snapped upward to regard the queen with disbelief. "What do you mean?"

"You have to gather the Keyblades in Sora's stead," she answered, a frown upon her face. "You have the blood of the Three. It is your duty to finish what Sora started."

The young man's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You have yet to give me an explanation as to how you know."

"The fact that you have Oathkeeper and Oblivion is proof enough. However, the definitive proof is the fact that you are able to dismiss the Nameless Key as you did tonight. That cursed Keyblade can only be controlled by the Three and their descendants. Anyone else will only succumb to its madness."

"I refuse to give up on Sora," he replied vehemently. "He won't lose himself to such an evil."

"Regardless of your beliefs," continued Tifa quietly but firmly, "the world won't wait for a sleeping hero to save it. Xehanort will let the Heartless consume this world if Sora doesn't wake up and if you don't accept your duties. You still have Kairi and Riku to help you."

"Sora is the descendant of Ventus," interrupted Roxas. "Kairi is of Aqua and both Riku and I are of Terra. Don't you think Sora is still needed regardless to complete the triangle of power? Without Ventus, how could we possibly fulfill our responsibilities?"

"Ventus and Terra share the same blood," countered Tifa. "You can't deny that you, Kairi, and Riku would all have at least a drop of the same blood that the Three shared."

"Understand this, Roxas," she resumed as she turned to leave. "Things have been set in motion that cannot be stopped. It won't be long before the final battle approaches. We all must be prepared for whatever the future brings." The tenseness in her entire body faded away with a smile. "But until then. Get some sleep. It won't do Sora any good if you aren't awake to protect him."

Roxas nodded quietly, his mind wrapped around Tifa's words. The black-haired woman murmured a "good night" to the silent teen and closed the door behind her. The Nobody sat in his seat for a few more moments mulling over the future before sighing with resignation. He checked that Sora was fine before leaning over and blowing out the candle, succumbing to sleep as he laid his head on the covers, his hands holding Sora's bandaged one with hope. A small smile came to his face when he felt a small squeeze of his hands.

* * *

It was well into the morning when Roxas stirred in his sleep, groaning as he sat back up in his seat. Having hunched over the entire night caused his back to spasm in pain as he worked out the morning kinks in his body. He yawned and rubbed at his eyes before looking down at Sora's sleeping form. To his disappointment, the prince hadn't moved at all in the bed during the night. It made him wonder if he had imagined the small squeeze on his hand.

The sound of a horn caught his attention and he stepped over to slide open the shoji window to look at what was going on. The sight of soldiers carrying the Nibelheim, Macalania, and Rocket Town pennants brought a small smile to his face.

"Reinforcements have arrived, Sora," he said to the prone figure in bed. "Wutai will not fall this day."

He turned back to the basin just as he espied rolling gray clouds just over the mountains. "And not a moment too soon." He let go of the frown that was forming on his face to smile for his sleeping master. He slid shut the paper-paneled window and returned to his master's bedside, indecision gnawing at him as he pondered over his next move. With a sardonic smile, he gently picked up his master's hands and placed them over his covered stomach. He tucked the key chains for Ultima Keyblade, Oathkeeper, and Oblivion into Sora's hands and grabbed Rumbling Rose and Fenrir for use.

"Come back to me soon, Sora," he whispered into the sleeping teen's ear before giving his master an awkward kiss, touching his lips briefly on Sora's cheek. He pulled away reluctantly and smiled again before leaving the darkened room. The room fell silent, but a tinkling sound broke the silence briefly as the key chains shifted under Sora's twitching fingers.

* * *

"Glad t' know that we didn't arrive too late," muttered Cid gruffly as he puffed on another one of his tobacco sticks.

"All we can do right now is wait," said Cloud, looking out of the open window from the top floor of the Pagoda. The rolling clouds just beyond the mountains were steadily getting closer and they all knew that was the warning sign of the invading Heartless.

"Sora's still not awake, huh?" the general asked. Roxas shook his head.

"No, sir. He's still unconscious," the Nobody replied.

"What the fuck happened last night, anyways?" blurted Yuffie with annoyance. "I've never felt a pain like that before!"

Tifa shot Cid a glare instantly. The unshaven man drew his hands up as a gesture of surrender in response.

"Whoa, ya ain't pinning her mouth on me!" he said defensively. The queen of Nibelheim seemed unconvinced by the man's words.

"My master summoned the Nameless Key unintentionally, your lordships and ladyships," said Roxas plainly. "It is an elder Keyblade that had been created in the time of the Three."

"That thing is evil," commented Goro with a frown. "How in the world could they have allowed it to exist?"

"It's because it is a magical Keyblade," said Tifa. "Magical Keyblades cannot be destroyed easily. Moreover, it is created from the essence of Heartless."

"But I thought magical Keyblades only existed in the hands of the Three," frowned Cloud. The black-haired queen nodded in agreement before answering.

"Yes, but remember that all Keyblades were once artificial. No one knows exactly how it came into existence besides that it's was derived from the Shadow Heartless. We do know, however, that Xehanort had tricked Aqua into wielding it. With it, she had stabbed Ventus while under its maddening effects. However, something strange happened in that the Keyblade disappeared after the stab. The Youngest of the Three would later suspect that he had absorbed the Nameless Key and it was because of this that he traveled around the world in search of a secluded place where his line would be the warden of the Nameless Key that was in their blood."

Roxas narrowed his eyes at the story that Tifa just told them. He recalled the story that Lord Mickey told Sora and Princess Kairi before they left for Midgar, suggesting that the Nameless Key was a Keyblade on its own and not a part of Ventus' line. However, he reminded himself that Lord Mickey hadn't remembered everything about the past as a Chaser then and was the one who directed them to Midgar rather than Nibelheim for information on the Chasers.

Looking at Tifa, he knew that she was the most reliable source regarding the Keyblades, but couldn't help but think that there was more to the black-haired, wine-colored woman than meets the eye.

"Is that why my heart hurt so much last night?" frowned Yuffie, "the fact that _that_ Keyblade's made of Heartless?"

Tifa nodded silently.

"Will the Nameless Key show up again today?" asked Vincent tersely.

"Unlikely, your lordship" answered Roxas. "Sora will be away from the battlefield today and thus incapable of being surrounded by death and Heartless."

"And Sora's the only one who can possibly summon the Nameless Key," added Tifa.

"I see," said Goro, stroking his long beard thoughtfully. His eyes traveled downward to the floor as though he were observing Sora sleeping a floor below them.

"There's something that's bothered me. There were no Archadian troops in the battle yesterday," commented Vincent from his spot near the window. "We knew that Archadia's here, but where were they?"

"Perhaps they were staying at Miranda biding their time," suggested Tifa.

"You're saying that Maleficent's attack on the Pagoda was merely a test of our defenses?" frowned Yuffie.

"It is likely," nodded Cloud.

"Young Roxas, you are the Nobody of Prince Sora of Destiny Islands. Surely you would know the Heartless best out of all of us, wouldn't you say?" asked the elderly emperor of Wutai. His graying long hair with a long beard and eyebrows that hid his wisdom-held eyes belied the vigor and stamina the old emperor still had. His eyes were sharp and had noticed the blond-haired Nobody's slight body movements as suggestive of someone who knew something about the topic at hand.

The youth raised his eyes tentatively, meeting Goro's obscured own before nodding. "There is another possibility as to the reason why we had not seen the Archadian army last night, your lordships and ladyships. It is likely that Maleficent has been using Archadia as a source to generate more Heartless for her purposes."

"Then you mean that the Heartless that we fought yesterday were actually former Archadian soldiers who were turned into Heartless!?" exclaimed Yuffie incredulously. Roxas nodded silently.

"That is one possibility, your Highness," he answered. "We know that Maleficent would do whatever it takes to achieve her goal. It might be likely that the Archadian leaders agreed to let the witch turn their soldiers into the mindless horde as to create a formidable army capable of overwhelming even the most skilled fighters."

"I don't think Gestahl would be this foolish as to incur the wrath of his subjects when they find out the truth," pondered Tifa aloud.

"That would be assuming that Gestahl himself hasn't been turned into a Heartless," suggested Cloud. He turned to look at Vincent. "Have the scouts not returned?"

The black-haired man with red irises shook his head solemnly. "They're due to report within the next hour," he supplied.

"I see," frowned the general of Nibelheim. His eyes returned to the map that outlined the area of the Pagoda. While the village that surrounded the Pagoda did suffer damage during the previous evening's battle, the damage hadn't been devastating. In fact, the majority of the damage occurred when the dragon Heartless was created.

Silence fell upon the room's occupant as worry over the upcoming battle swept over them.

"How are the Chocobos handling it?" mumbled Cid.

"As well as anyone could ever hope to ask them to," answered the queen of Nibelheim sadly.

"Shera would be heartbroken to hear that Boco died," he continued, taking another drag from his tobacco stick.

"It was best that he died this way," said Cloud with a sardonic smirk, his voice uncharacteristically weak and small. "He and Shim were always fighting with each other in the pen."

"This is no time for grieving," interjected Goro with a frown. "I understand the loss we've all suffered, but we will only lose more if we don't focus on this upcoming battle.

The others all looked at the elderly man with mild surprise before Cloud nodded in agreement.

"You're perfectly right, Emperor Goro of Wutai. We have overlooked the future for the past," he replied with a determined smile. "Cid, you did bring Halm with you?"

"Of course," grinned the lord of Rocket Town. "What kind of a fool ya think I am to leave him at the airship by himself when all of his friends are here?"

Cloud laughed briefly before informing them of his strategy with a determined grin on his face as he leaned over the map, "Here's the plan."

* * *

Alita warbled softly as she shifted underneath her rider, flapping her wings as her own way of fidgeting before the upcoming battle. Roxas leaned down to pat her on the junction where her neck met her body. "You'll get your chance," he whispered, "don't worry." The Chocobo gave him an eager "wark" in response.

The light dimmed underneath the dark clouds that had rolled into the basin, slowly enshrouding the entire place in darkness. Around the Chocobo riders, sounds of metal against metal clinked as men shifted in their armors—the plated steel bearing the Nibelheim and Macalania insignias and the light chain-link armor over the simple garb of the Wutain soldiers. The sound of flags flapping in the fierce wind accompanied the cold that was rolling in with the clouds.

Roxas tightened his grip on the reins for Alita, hearing the sound of leather rubbing in his hands. His right hand loosened and tightened around the hilt of Fenrir while the end of the dirty strip of cloth wrapped around the blade flapped in the wind like the banners that flew across the host of defenders.

While the majority of the defenders sent from Nibelheim and Macalania were footmen, there were still cavalrymen on horse mingling with the soldiers on foot, who had been organized into companies of twenty. With his sensitive ears, Roxas could hear the soft whinnies and snorts coming from those horses near him as they stamped their hooves against the hard packed dirt.

A mere fifty foot behind him, the plastered rock wall serving as the primary defense of the Pagoda and the small village that surrounded it had been patched up overnight. Goro had also instructed his men to add sharpened spikes to the base of the wall, angled upward as to deter invaders from scaling the wall. How well it would work against the Heartless, Roxas wasn't sure.

Archers were stationed throughout the basin and on top of the defense wall where cauldrons of oil sat spread out near the archers with fire burning on top. The reports that had came back more than two hours ago had kept everyone on edge and the lack of enemies was beginning to irritate a few of the men.

Suddenly, the sound of several horns echoed through the basin from beyond the foothills. The earth shook slightly as the sound of men chanting with their syncopated steps drew near. Swords were unsheathed and bowstrings were drawn back accompanied by the whine of strings under tension.

At the top of the foothills near the faces in the rock, a large army of men singing and chanting met the eyes of the defenders. The banners of Archadia flew in the air in a brilliant wash of red and gold. At the head of the army, ten riders sat upon their horses, looking down at their enemies behind masked helmets. Long plumes of peacock feather rose from the top of the helmets, signifying their ranks within the Archadian army.

A shrill cackle along with throaty laughter halted the chanting of the Archadian soldiers as another group of seven appeared out of nowhere through Maleficent's magic. Alongside the wicked witch, Hades stood in all of his blue flamed glory, cracking his fingers while flames danced around him. Captain Hook, whom Roxas recognized as the man who intercepted them on their journey to Radiant Garden, appeared equally eager for battle as the bag of bugs that was one of Maleficent's foulest creations: Oogie Boogie. The slithery Jafar, the sinister Shan Yu, and a dark hooded man completed the evil company.

The blond-haired Nobody narrowed his eyes as they landed upon the black-hooded unnamed man. His gut instincts told him that the man was more dangerous than any others, though the man's appearance gave no indications of such theories.

Underneath him, Alita shifted agitatedly and snapped her beak angrily upon seeing the witch who had killed Boco. Roxas tightened his grip on the reins and drew them back slightly to stop Alita from doing something foolish.

"Wait for the most opportune moment," he murmured. The Chocobo warbled and squawked with annoyance in response.

"Arise, my Heartless!" she cried with glee, raising her hands in a summoning gesture. "Destroy all that you see!"

At the center of the defense, Cloud quickly plunged his sword into an oil cauldron near him and swung his sword carefully before raising it like a flaming beacon. He narrowed his eyes as the Archadian soldiers began their charge while their Heartless "allies" rose from the earth and appeared out of the darkness. With one downward sweep of his sword, hundreds of flaming arrows shot out from the basin walls where archers were stationed.

Yells of pain rang out as men fell underneath the deadly arrows. The flaming soaked cloths splattered against their targets and spread hot oil onto the soldiers that marched near the dead. The flames grew on their victims rapidly.

"Defenders of Wutai!" yelled Yuffie as she stood up in the stirrups, leaning forward with her giant shuriken held aloft. Against the orange glow of the flaming torches, the glint of the steel throwing weapon was a testament to the princess's hope and determination. A cheer erupted from the soldiers around her before it spread through the rest of the army. Even Roxas had raised the Fenrir Keyblade with a battle-cry of his own.

"Charge!"

The initial meeting between the Archadians and the defenders of the triple Alliance was raucous with the sound of clashing metal filling the air. The archers continued to shoot at the soldiers away from where their allies fought before they quickly left their post to join the battle below lest they accidentally shot their own comrades in arms.

With Alita, Roxas swung Fenrir across the air to his side, cutting down Archadians who were unfortunate to be standing in the Nobody's way as he ventured towards the Heartless that were slowly creeping towards the main battlefield.

They stopped in the middle of the strip of area that sat between the battle and the approaching Heartless. Alita brought her wings closer to her body to anchor her rider to his seat as he stood up in the stirrups and summoned Rumbling Rose in his left hand, letting go of the reins in the process. The two stood their ground and looked straight at the Heartless army that had stopped in its progress. The various Shadows and Soldier Heartless stared back with seemingly mild curiosity before continuing down the hill.

Roxas tightened his grip on the Keyblades, angling them downward to the side. He then bent down slightly to reinforce his position on Alita as the Chocobo quickly dashed towards the slowly approaching Heartless. The magical blades cut through the ranks of the Heartless with ease, destroying a sizeable amount of the lax creatures before a shot rang out, nearly grazing across the side of Roxas's unguarded neck.

The squawks of Chocobos that sounded behind the pair informed them of their friends' battle against the Heartless. Knowing that the Heartless would have a hard time joining the battle with their Archadian allies, Roxas slowly turned Alita to face the new enemies.

"We're your opponents, boy," spat Captain Hook, a smoking gun in his normal hand. He brought the gun back to him and blew the smoke away from the barrel of the silver pistol. Beside him, the bag of bugs was wagging his large mid-region left and right and bringing his pointed arms upward like he was doing stretches.

"This ought to be good," Oogie Boogie said. "I can't wait to eat you," he continued, a blackened tongue slipping out of the seam-like mouth to lick his non-existent lips. Roxas twitched at the sight of insects crawling out of Oogie's mouth.

As the Nobody prepared to dismount Alita, Hades suddenly appeared with blue flames next to the rider.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," the blue-skinned man said, a hand grabbing Roxas to keep him on the mount. "Where do you think you're going?"

The black Chocobo snapped her beak at Hades, who disappeared in response, while Shan Yu came flying down with his scimitar aiming to slice across the Chocobo's outstretched neck. Roxas quickly blocked the attack with Fenrir and swiped at the burly man with Rumbling Rose, cutting across the fur on the man's winter jacket. The blond-haired Nobody then quickly dismounted and went on the offensive against the beady-eyed man.

Another shot rang out, barely missing Roxas's chest when the Nobody fortuitously stepped out of the path of the bullet. He pushed Shan Yu away and dashed toward Captain Hook, only to meet Oogie Boogie on the way, who grabbed the teen's blade as it was coming down on the pirate captain. A nasty grin was on Oogie's face, coupled with a sinister laughter. Roxas pulled at the Keyblade, but the bag of bugs held onto it tightly.

He took a quick glance about him, eyes narrowing when he saw a fireball in one of Hades' outstretched hands and Captain Hook's gun trained upon him. Shan Yu was advancing towards him as well while Alita was engaged in battle against Jafar a ways away.

"Prepare to die!" cackled Oogie. Roxas huffed with annoyance before letting go of the Keyblade just as the familiar sound of trilling birds surrounded him. His eyes widened with surprise to see Coral and Mickey appearing out of nowhere with Kairi, Riku, and Naminé, who all immediately attacked the evil men around them once the white pillars had dissipated. Mickey's eyes had found the black-hooded man and immediately leaped over the Heartless toward the man, ignoring Maleficent in the process.

Oogie uttered a shrill cry of surprise before releasing the Keyblade and taking a step back, blocking the attack from Kairi's Lily of the Valley Keyblade with his pointed upper limbs. In the mean time, Naminé had engaged in battle with Captain Hook, disarming the man's pistol rapidly with her stilettos before parrying a slash from the captain's rapier. Riku had opted to engage Jafar in battle briefly while Coral beat Hades back.

More trilling sounds met Roxas's ears as more Chasers appeared around them, dispatching Heartless immediately before taking over the fights against the leaders of the Bastion Imperialists. Though the Nobody was surprised to see the Chasers here, he held his questions back, knowing that there would be another time for them.

"Where's Sora?" asked Coral when she didn't see the brown-haired prince on the battlefield. Kairi and Riku both were wondering the same thing as they fought defensively against the enemies.

"Unconscious back at the Pagoda."

The green-haired Chaser looked at Roxas with alarm. "What do you mean 'unconscious'?" she frowned.

The Nobody dispatched another Heartless that was creeping towards him before scowling. "Does it really matter right now?"

"Yes, it does, Roxas," said Coral, grabbing a hold of the blond-haired boy's right arm. "If it has anything to do with the Nameless Key, we have to do something right now."

Roxas frowned again. "How did you-"

Coral impatiently finished the teen's question for him, "Know? We don't _just_ guard Keyblades. We do keep tab on that dangerous Keyblade, you know. Now, let's get going; Sora's not going to get better on his own despite what you might think."

Roxas bit his lower lip in slight indecision, scanning the battle around him with concern.

"Go, Roxas," said Kairi, a frown upon her face as she battled against an Invisible. His eyes turned to Maleficent and found the witch surrounded by five angry Chocobos. Their beaks snapped dangerously as they ruffled their feathers, each one of them ready to avenge their fallen friend.

The blond-haired Nobody turned to Coral and nodded quietly. The last thing he heard from the battlefield before the pillar of light surrounded him was Maleficent's frustrated scream and the triumphant squawks of Chocobos echoing through the air.

* * *

"So, I guessed right," said the dark-hooded man deeply, inspecting the round-eared mouse lord with a pair of red eyes that glinted dangerously under the black of the hood. "The Chasers _are_ immortal."

"What are you planning on doing, Xehanort?" asked Mickey quietly, eying the sinister man with caution.

Xehanort barked out a laugh. "Come now, my dear Mickey. Surely you know me well enough by now to figure out what my plan is and always has been."

"Their descendants won't allow that to happen, Xehanort. The Heartless do not belong in this world!" exclaimed Mickey.

"But what fun would that be?" chuckled the red-eyed man. Dark streams flowed from the man and swirled about the man's left hand before a black Keyblade appeared. Xehanort raised the Keyblade up just as the silver Keyblade of a black-haired Chaser came down at him. The burly Chaser's eyes slightly widened with shock at the sight of the black Keyblade, one that was in every way a Chaser creation, but the blackness of the blade suggested more to the weapon.

"You were always too impatient, Rocky," commented Xehanort without turning to face the guardian of the Hidden Dragon Keyblade. He easily pushed the man away with just one hand on the Keyblade. The Chaser named Rocky landed with a skid a few feet away from the former Chaser. Two other Chasers completed the semi-circle around Xehanort, each one eying their ex-leader guardedly.

"You cannot win this battle, Xehanort," said Mickey gravely, letting his Keyblade rest in his hand. "You will not destroy this world out of insanity."

"I wonder if that's the case," Xehanort replied with a smile. "The Nameless Key has returned to this world already, has it not? I could sense its call last night. It's a shame that I didn't get to see it in action today."

"The Nameless Key is not yours," said a silvery haired woman. "It will never be yours."

To their surprise, Xehanort began laughing raucously. "You still don't understand do you, Ceres?" he asked as his laughter faded. "The Nameless Key is the reason why I'm able to be here right now! It is the very reason why the Heartless will _never_ be sealed away from this world."

The Chasers stiffened at the news, but Mickey only narrowed his eyes further. "Nothing is ever set in stone," he said determinedly, "especially not for you, Xehanort. We will find a way to stop you and your shadowy horde."

The former Chaser snorted derisively, "So you say. It's a fool's errand to try and stop us as long as the Nameless Key can be summoned."

"Luckily for us, we're all a bunch of fools," Pan replied with a smirk. "Mickey's right. We will find a way to complete our tasks and fulfill our oaths to the Three."

Xehanort raised his darkened Keyblade up, pointing it toward the mouse Chaser as his brown-robed opponents assumed their battle stances.

"Very well then," he said blandly. "If you plan on standing in my way, then I will destroy you."

A bloodcurdling screech interrupted any intention of battle between the Chasers and Xehanort, staying their movement as they turned their attention towards the source of the bone-chilling scream. Haphazard splatters of blood on the ground and on the Chocobo combatants suggested a bloody battle between the birds and their common enemy, who could not be seen. The only remains that were left of the wicked witch were the disappearing black ashes in the air and the dark black cloak that lay torn, formless on the ground.

Wordlessly, Hades disappeared in a flare of blue flames while Oogie Boogie suddenly collapsed onto the ground, bugs quickly scattering from the dirty bag that had been the monster's form. Shan Yu picked up a stunned Captain Hook and slung him over his shoulders as he and Jafar quickly fought their way back where they had come from. The Archadians were flabbergasted by the sudden turn of events.

Like the rest of the Imperialists who had come, Xehanort took that moment and disappeared into a swirling black portal. By the time the Chasers realized that their enemy had retreated, the portal was already disappearing.

"Dammit!" cursed Rocky as he slammed a fist against the ground. Mickey frowned but said nothing. Instead, he watched silently as the clouds that had covered the basin roll away, the Heartless melting back into the shadows as commanded by their masters.

The fighters for Wutai surrounded the remaining Archadians, who laid down their swords in surrender. Cheer erupted amongst the soldiers, but the Chasers and the people who know them knew that this was just the beginning.

_

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: Bit of an abrupt ending… but I had to end it there lest I continue on for another five to six pages that might spill over to other areas rather than just Wutai (Note, this chapter is already 14 pages by itself without the filling that are the review replies and this blurb I'm writing). I'll have to admit that I'm not particularly proud of this chapter since it feels rather forced at times. Maybe I have the mentality currently to ramble on and on without real aim. Yet, at the same time I don't feel like I'm rambling, heh; at least not as much as I do in my notes, haha._

_Xehanort makes his personal appearance for the first time in the fic while the Chasers are reintroduced. I ended up making some time adjustments in the last chapter to make it more credible that all this stuff has happened over a period of time rather than consecutively like it had felt when I wrote "two months". I don't know what I was thinking when I constrained it to two months since it made Sora sound like a magnet for trouble, haha._

_Oh right, two quick references to FF5 in this chapter. Boco is the actual name of the Chocobo in FF5 that the main character rides. Halm is the middle name of the main character's father, who was a Warrior of the Light. Lastly, Rozarria is the other large country in FF12 that's fighting against Archadia but aren't the ones to instigate the events in FF12 by invading the protagonists' home country. _

_In any case, my apologies for taking somewhat of a longer time to get this chapter out compared to the last. I was suffering for a rather tiny, but annoying, writer's block and had thus distracted myself with playing _Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time_ on the Wii (longest name for a game EVER, in my honest opinion). And recently, I started playing the original FF3 (not the American FF3, which was actually FF6) as well as watching a ton of Touhou gameplay videos. Danmaku has never looked so pretty… XD._

_Lastly, I must get in a little bit of a "rant" on KH: 358/2 Days. I actually spoiled it for myself by reading the plot synopsis on Wikipedia, and I must say, what… the… fuck. Yes, the DS game is already out in Japan, but it won't be out in the US and Europe until fall. Bah, I say, bah!_

_Anyways, any comments or questions are welcomed through reviews, hope you enjoyed this chapter._


	16. Saving Sora

_To reviewers of chapter 14:_

_Jenediah Freak: Yeah, it's especially tough trying to update when you've hit a writer's block. I'll have to admit that I've hit several blocks in the writing on this fic because I hadn't envisioned the entire story. I've been writing as I went along. This also gave me the problem of having to discard some of the scenes that I had written a long time ago for the later chapters, thinking that they would actually be part of the story, haha. Ah well, hope your story's coming along fine too._

_DarkBombayAngel: It would've been rather sad if Wutai didn't win. Though I'll have to admit that the war seems rather lopsided right now, favoring the good guys rather than the bad. Heh. And yes, I agree that I hate knowing that 358/2 Days is out already, but we can't get it until Fall. Unless you get it illegally, XP._

_LupinandHarry: You know that Cloud's secretly a pervert underneath that "I'm so stoic that I should be considered emo" exterior. And Sora will be fine. He is a main character in this story, after all, haha._

_iOchibi: Thanks for the compliments. I hope your story's coming along too. Remember to only update when you feel like the material you've written is good enough for the public eye. Taking a longer time to figure out things is always worth it in the long run._

_Azuresapphire15: Thanks a lot. And as clichéd as it sounds, patience __is a virtue. More so with my fics, I think… Haha. I think I might be planning on writing some more fluff in the upcoming chapters… hmm. No guarantees, of course._

_KiraLacus Forever: Gosh, I think it's been awhile since I last did that. Though to be honest, I haven't found any fics lately that interests me that much. Maybe that's why I'm having a hard time writing my own now, doh!_

_summerIIfire: Well, there's the "airship" that limited to just one continent in this fic's world, haha. To be honest, I had envisioned all of the battles in my mind's eyes as akin to FF-style battles. While I didn't exactly intentionally put it on paper, I guess it just flowed from my mind and into my typing._

_To sort of define the premise under which the Nameless Key would be summoned, it's not that Boco __had to die, but rather someone __had to die right where Sora was to taint the living seal that surrounds the Nameless Key. So it's not actually Sora summoning the Key but rather the Key forcing itself out of Sora after that intense shock that undermined Sora's unconscious efforts to keep the Nameless Key in check. If that makes any sense at all… XD._

_Lollipops and Roxas OH MY: Gosh, if everything related to love happened as quickly as Hollywood portrays it (or in some hastily written fics), then everyone should be in love and married right now! Hehe. As I told someone else, I was seeing each battle in my mind as akin to FF-style battles. So in a sense, my writing is more based on graphics rather than words. Maybe that's why it seems so expressive at time, haha._

_Agatsuma Ritsuka: I hope you didn't hang on to that last word in chapter 14 until now (wink)._

_chihero1: Wow, it's been a year since I started this fic, huh. Look how time flies… And I'm not even done with it yet! DX. Oh well, at least I haven't disappointed my readers thus far. Thanks for all your support! I hope to work on the Sora Kazano series too. It'll be rather difficult though, I think, since I've strayed somewhat from the Haruhi Suzumiya universe already, hehe._

_Broken-Angel-requiem-Soul: You're not the only one who's addicted to this story, XD._

**

* * *

Chapter 15 – Saving Sora**

* * *

The first thing Roxas saw after the white light scattered and the trilling sound faded was the sight of his unconscious master nested among the familiar comforters, sheets, and pillows; exactly where he had left him prior to leaving for the battle that was still going on outside.

Coral immediately left his side and laid her open palm on the youth's forehead, before moving her hand to his cheek and then using the back of her hand for further examination by touch.

The blond-haired Nobody's eyes narrowed slightly upon seeing the thin layer of sweat that covered Sora's face, leaving it glistening against the flickering light from the smoldering fire in the fireplace. He looked over to Coral and watched closely as the Chaser's eyebrows furrowed in thought. She said nothing as she continued her brief examination, her lips pursed tightly in reflection of the seriousness of Sora's condition.

What seemed like hours was only mere seconds before the Chaser lifted her hand and immediately approached Roxas once again. The boy opened his mouth to inquire Sora's health but Coral interrupted his words, grabbing his wrist in the process.

"No time to explain," she said tersely, no traces of her usual cheery self within her turbulent gray eyes. "Teleport: Destiny Islands."

Roxas's eyes widened upon hearing their destination and hitched in a breath as the sound of trilling birds and the sight of blinding white light surrounded him again.

* * *

"Where am I?"

The sound of gales met Sora's ears when he became aware of his surroundings. Yet, he could feel no wind swirling around him, whipping his hair and clothes about if the shrieking howl was any indication of the strength of the moving air.

He opened his eyes, letting his deep black pupils surrounded by a brilliant blue focus upon the sight that met him.

Darkness surrounded him on all sides. He could see shades of black churning around him like a vortex, leaving him in the eye of a tornado that he couldn't feel. He stepped towards the gales that were just beyond arm's reach, but his fingertips only met with nothing; he felt not even the prickly sensation that the strong winds would've undoubtedly left behind on his skin. It was as though the eye moved with him, enclosing him in a cell with no bars and no locks.

He turned about deliberately, hoping to catch a glimpse of anything in the murkiness; but there was nothing.

The questions of how he came to be in this strange place were met with no answers. The last thing he recalled before waking in this bleakness was the sight of his Chocobo dying in front of his eyes; the green glow of Maleficent's fireball was perhaps the ugliest thing he's ever seen in his young life. Thoughts of what happened next drew a blank in his brain. As much as he strained his mind, eyes narrowed in thought, he couldn't remember what happened, shivering as goose bumps appeared unexpectedly on his skin.

He shook away the thoughts and looked about him once again.

Silently, the prince of Destiny Islands began a cautious walk in an arbitrary direction. He kept his breathing light, calming his racing heart down as he strained his hearing for any possible sound that might indicate a change in his surroundings.

* * *

How long he had been walking, he didn't know; he didn't know how far he had walked either. The endless black simply stretched out in all directions around him. Occasionally he'll catch a glimpse out of the corner of his eyes of a sliver of white cutting through the black accompanied by the tinkling sound of wind chimes. Yet, every time he stopped to focus upon the sliver of light, only the whirling darkness met his eyes. The howling gales continued blowing shrilly as though the sudden silence against which the tinkling sound played had never interrupted them.

A tiny part of him was amused by his own consciousness. He had never felt so calm before in his life. It was such a sharp contrast compared to the chaos that rolled about him that he nearly wanted to burst out laughing.

He stopped in his tracks once again, but not because of another sliver of white against the deathly black; this time due to a bone-crushing chill that stayed his intent to continue moving aimlessly through this mire of black. A shift in the shadows caught his attention, leading his eyes to narrow in suspicion as a slinking creature slowly crawled into the vicinity of where the prince of Destiny Islands stood. The eyes opened with reveal the unnatural glowing yellow.

Out of reflex, Sora summoned his Ultima Keyblade, letting the magical weapon light the area with a white flash before dimming but still illuminating with the soft white glow of the Keyblade. While the Heartless that stayed crouched in front of him didn't seem affected by the purity of the Ultima Keyblade, Sora stared at the shape of the shadowy creature with darkened eyes swirling with suspicion and bewilderment. The outline that was illuminated by the Keyblade was strange for a Heartless; it had seemed more human than a simple Heartless.

A guttural laugh sounded softly from the Heartless as it continued to regard the alert prince with its yellow eyes.

"Who are you?" asked Sora softly, pursing his lips together upon the conclusion of the question asked.

This time, the laughter was louder and sounded much more sarcastic to Sora's ears, as though the Heartless was mocking the Somebody's very existence.

"I believe," the Heartless replied in a voice that made Sora widened his eyes with pure shock, "the question should be 'What am I?'" The voice was so unexpected compared to the sound of the laughter that Sora wondered if his mind wasn't playing tricks on him.

"You're a Heartless, that much is clear," responded the brown-haired teen quietly. The Keychain at the end of the Keyblade jingled with the slight movements of Sora's hands. His eyes watched the Heartless guardedly, his brain working in overtime analyzing the being, knowing perfectly well that this was _not just_ a simple Heartless.

"Very good, Sora," the Heartless answered in Sora's own voice. However, compared to Sora's humanly tone of voice, the voice that came from the Heartless was biting and sarcastic, as though the prince of Destiny Islands had an evil twin keen for destruction.

His breath hitched in his throat with the realization of just _what_ exactly the Heartless in front of him was. While he had assumed that the being was no mere Heartless, he hadn't realized that the Heartless was actually…

"Yes, Sora," laughed the shadowy creature. "I am your Heartless, the embodiment of all your fears, your anger and hatred. You didn't think that you would be exempt from having a Heartless did you?"

"What do you want?" hissed the brown-haired prince coldly, bringing up the Ultima Keyblade in preparation for battle against the Heartless that simply sneered at him. At least, Sora thought the creature was smiling sinisterly.

Sora's Heartless crouched down in similar preparation for battle. "Never one to skirt around the issue," it voiced with displeasure. "Very well. I shall be frank. We desire freedom. The Key never should've been contained. It was supposed to end the Three's powers and allow the Heartless to conquer your world."

The brown-haired teen snorted wryly at the frustrations the Heartless uttered. "A good thing that unexpected incident happened then."

A soft growl sounded from the Heartless; Sora knew he had struck a nerve. "No matter," it spat. "It was a simple setback for the Key. Besides, that incident gave the Key a vessel to sow the seeds of distrust and fear amongst the nations. Once your soul's destroyed, we will be free to cover this world in a darkness that will never be dispersed."

"I'll never let that happen," replied the teen.

The Heartless chuckled deeply. "You have no choice in the matter." Unexpected for Sora, the Heartless rose in stature and its shadowy form shifted slightly as an extension grew from the creature's right hand. Sora's blue eyes widened with fear as the extension took the shape of the Nameless Key. Alarm rang shrilly in his head when he discovered that he could not move at all.

"You were the one who summoned the Nameless Key, giving it form for the first time since Aqua last wielded it. You allowed yourself to be controlled by the darkness."

"You _used_ me," retorted Sora angrily. He tried vainly to move, but it was no use; his body felt like it was made of lead rather than flesh and blood.

"Welcome to the realm of darkness," replied the Heartless. It raised the Nameless Key above its head for a fatal strike, causing Sora to panic internally. He closed his eyes and wished that it was all a dream. Try as he might, he couldn't make himself wake up from this nightmare. Despairingly, he braced for the strike that was to come, whimpering with a wince as light flashed across his closed eyes and a loud metallic clang sounded in front of him.

"What!?" screamed the Heartless. Sora opened his eyes tentatively and found himself looking at the sight of Lily of the Valley and Way to the Dawn hovering in the air before him, crisscrossed to block the downward slash from the Nameless Key. As though some invisible fighter wielded the two Keyblades, they forced the Nameless Key away from Sora and parted in defense, trails of white sparks falling from the weapons with each motion.

Within Sora's hand, the Ultima Keyblade came to life and wriggled before Sora finally let go of his own weapon, watching with awe as it joined the other two Keyblades in Sora's defense. The three Keyblades orbited about Sora randomly, halting in their paths every once in a while to twirl in place. As they orbited at random speeds, the Keyblades created a barrier about the teen, the hexagonal components shimmering with light from the Keyblades.

The Heartless in front of him scowled, letting out a low growl as it tested the barrier. Circular waves spread from the point of impact across the cylindrical barrier, but the barrier remained firm.

Sora allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief as he regained mobility. He placed a hand over his racing heart, smirking slightly as the Heartless in front of him began to slink around him, trying to find a weakness to the barrier, but Sora doubted that itwas going to find one. His blue eyes looked upon the three Keyblades that passed by him and smiled gratefully at Riku and Kairi's timely assistance.

Yet, he knew in his heart that this won't last long. The Keyblades cannot possibly hold off the darkness that the Nameless Key had mustered up in its dormancy. He had to get out of here; but how can he navigate through the maze when there are no paths?

* * *

Kairi looked at Sora's prone body with worry. On his left, Lily of the Valley glowed brightly while Way to the Dawn did the same on Sora's right. Naminé was within arm's reach behind the worried princess and all the while, the blonde whispered comforting words to her red-haired mistress.

Riku leaned against the wall, presenting a cool exterior, but he was worried as well. He glanced up whenever he heard a sound coming from Sora's direction. His hands fidgeted against the leather armor that he had donned shortly after reading the letter from Sora a few days ago. He resisted the urge to exhale with frustration, knowing perfectly well that there was nothing else they could do until Coral and Roxas returned. The most he and Kairi could do right now was lend their powers to erect a barrier around Sora's soul before the darkness of the Nameless Key, flowing unchecked into Sora's being due to its summon not more than a day ago, covered the prince's soul.

The final occupant of the room paced at the end of Sora's bed, the mouse lord looking downward in thought and worry as he prayed that Coral and Roxas will return soon. At the same time, he hoped that what would come to pass does not come to pass when the pair is at Destiny Islands; they didn't need the added problem now with Sora so close to darkness.

Yuffie and Vincent had brought Cid with them to round up the last of the Archadian army as they retreated from the battlefield, hoping to capture the leaders to negotiate an armistice and bound them to their words before the Archadians would began another campaign against Wutai or other Gaian kingdoms.

Cloud and Tifa were forced to remain in the infirmary until the healers deemed them healthy enough to leave the ward. Neither one of them particularly found the situation to be pleasant; Riku wouldn't doubt that the pair would leave the ward soon after they were treated for their wounds.

A soft knock on the door turned their attention away from the unconscious teen in the bed toward the closed wooden door. The two heirs of the Three looked worriedly at the mouse lord whose brows furrowed in deep thought.

"Come in," he replied firmly and none-too-softly; there was no reason to worry that the volumes of their voices would wake Sora after all.

The door swung open swiftly and in strode Cloud and Tifa. The blond-haired general halted in his steps upon seeing the strange ward that surrounded the prince of Destiny Islands, his eyes belying his confusion. On the other hand, Tifa's eyes darkened and she pressed her lips together, knowing exactly what has happened.

"It's good to see you again, Tifa," acknowledged Mickey Mouse, catching the queen's eyes. The woman quickly knelt down and embraced the mouse lord, a shudder passing through her body as the worries in her heart poured out.

"It's been a long time," she replied softly. She pulled away with a sniff, looking at the mouse lord with watery eyes. "I should've realized what happened last night after the Key was summoned," she blurted. "I should've called for you guys, then maybe this shouldn't have happened. I should've-"

"Tifa," interrupted Mickey with a soft smile. "It was out of your control," he said amicably. "There was no way you could've realized what happened to Sora and no way for you to call for Arashi. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. If anyone should be at fault, it's us. We weren't alert enough or had the foresight that the Nameless Key would appear so suddenly."

The wine-color eyed woman gave him a sad, awkward smile. Her shoulders slumped with little relief, but her eyes did sparkle somewhat happily with Mickey's reassurance.

"What exactly is happening here?" came Cloud's quiet question. "Why are the Chasers here?"

No one had the nerve to inform Cloud of the bad news regarding the future of this world. Even Tifa had averted her eyes to lay them upon Sora's still prone figure, her mind divided over whether her fiancé should know.

"You know of the Chasers," said Mickey. The statement was not a question.

"Everyone in Nibelheim knew of the Chasers and who they were. Just not of their fate," murmured Cloud.

"You probably know by now that the Chasers are immortal," answered Tifa softly. "They're here because of Xehanort, the greater common enemy from centuries before."

"Not to mention what's happening to Sora right now," added the mouse lord as he looked at the prone figure once again. "The Nameless Key has left him vulnerable to the effects of darkness. That's the main reason why he's still unconscious."

"Is there no way of waking him up?" frowned the blond-haired general, eying Sora as well with narrowed eyes.

"As we can do right now is wait," answered Kairi quietly. "The Nameless Key won't give up Sora's soul easily; there is no way for him to emerge victorious against the dark essence of the Heartless on his own."

"Wait?" questioned Cloud once again, "wait for what?"

"For Coral and Roxas to return with the Kingdom Key," answered Riku, his entire body trembling with anger despite being anchored against the firm wall. He pursed his lips tightly, annoyed at the entire situation and the helplessness he felt at that moment, unable to help Sora further besides providing the Keyblade to provide a temporary ward around Sora's soul.

"I see."

A scowl was on Riku's face as he pushed himself away from the wall that he had been leaning against. He exhaled audibly with annoyance, letting a low growl out from deep in his throat. Without another word, he stomped out of the room, the agitation he's felt with his inability to help Sora further gnawing at him and deafened his ears to the shout that chased after him.

"Riku!" cried Kairi with concern, taking a step towards the open door. Her eyes turned toward her childhood friend and her own Keyblade glowing brightly in the room. She chewed on her lower lip with indecision whether to chase after Riku or to stay by Sora's side until Coral and Roxas returned.

Mickey Mouse looked over to the two Keyblades that lay next to Sora's prone body; though they remained glowing, there was a barely discernible dimming of the glow from Way to the Dawn. Tifa noticed it as well.

"I'll go bring him back," she said, starting for the door. Cloud reached out a hand and halted her steps.

"I'll go talk to him," he said instead. "I might not know everything that's going on here, but I think Riku would take it better from an outsider who's willing to listen."

Mickey Mouse nodded in agreement. "Talk to him, Cloud. And try to bring him back as soon as possible. We'll do what we can here for Sora."

"Of course," replied the blond-haired general before he rushed out of the room to chase after the agitated teen.

The mouse lord summoned the Keyblade that Terra the Elder had entrusted to him and closed his eyes. The Keyblade began glowing steadily before he reopened his eyes and laid the Keyblade at Sora's feet on the bed.

"Come, Kairi," said Mickey, beckoning for her to come near Sora. "We're going to have to resort to an archaic magic to bolster Sora's defense. You too, Tifa." The black-haired woman nodded with understanding. The three made a triangle around the bed as Mickey instructed and began the ritual.

* * *

The familiar sound and sight faded away to reveal an extreme dimmed place when Coral completed the teleportation to Destiny Islands. Naturally, Roxas's eyes immediately dilated to take in his surroundings, though the unused trained reflex gave him a small headache.

"Where are we?" he asked, watching Coral looking about above them with narrowed eyes. She didn't reply to him immediately, scanning their surroundings with expert eyes, her knowledge of the place checking for anything out of place. Her eyes eventually landed upon Roxas, suddenly widening with revelation unknown to the Nobody. It worried Roxas that she had seemed so serious and alert before unexpectedly becoming worried and preoccupied, as though something—or someone—had triggered a memory.

"Is something wrong?" Roxas asked, his eyebrows furrowed with concern. While he suspected that he was the one to trigger that memory, he had no idea what she knew.

"N-nothing," she replied, breaking out of the memories of the past. She looked about once more before nodding with confirmation.

"We're in the Destiny Islands Station of Serenity," she added, answering Roxas's question while stepping over the darkened polished floor gingerly.

"Then we're on Levan?" inquired the Nobody, following Coral's steps across the polished floor. He put the wondering thoughts of Coral's secret in the back of his mind and focused on imitating the Chaser's steps. Though he wasn't entirely sure, his instincts told him that there was a danger to be within this area.

"No," she said with a shake of her head. "Stations of Serenity, of which there are three, are built by the Three after the war to house the Keyblades that went with them. This Station was originally where Oblivion was kept until Ventus's death. Oathkeeper was housed at Radiant Garden, and the Kingdom Key was housed at Twilight Town."

"When Ventus died," she continued, leading the way into a narrow passageway that would've been lit by torches if someone still frequented the path, "Terra and Aqua made the decision that the Kingdom Key would protect Destiny Islands better and so changed the Keyblades that were housed in these Stations. That is why Destiny Islands became the location for these three Keyblades: Ultima Keyblade, Kingdom Key, and the Nameless Key."

"It's because the Kingdom Key represents hope and light," said Roxas. Coral nodded, though the gesture was difficult to see in the darkened room.

"It was the very first Keyblade that the three made." She pushed a heavy curtain off to the side, disturbing the dust that had settled around the stagnant entryway. "It was that very act that brought them to their destinies as the champions of light in the face of the shadowy darkness. It was also that very act that deepened Xehanort's madness, I think. He was deeply curious of the Kingdom Key, which the Three had entrusted to him at the beginning when they realized their own powers and thus made their own Keyblades. Mickey always said that the Kingdom Key was held under lock and key in Xehanort's study. He had become suspicious of our leader's work and spied on him. But by the time we all realized what Xehanort sought after, he had already created his own demented version of a magical Keyblade."

"It didn't work well, I'll bet," said Roxas as they stopped in front of a silver door, shining magically in the darkness.

The green-haired Chaser giggled softly. "No, it didn't; at least not against the true blades of the Three. It was superior to the Chaser Keyblades though. But nevertheless, the Three retrieved the Kingdom Key while Xehanort left the Chaser organization forever, bringing with him his notes on the magical Keyblades and his unnatural weapon."

"Does it still exist?" inquired the Nobody, watching Coral summon her Chaser Keyblade and pointing a toothy end towards the door. A beam of light shot from the tip of the Chaser Keyblade and hit the closed door, forming a key hole first then filling it up as the sound of mechanism unlocking echoed through the area. The door swung open into the library of Destiny Islands castle.

"Yes," replied Coral, dismissing her Keyblade as she stepped into the library, looking out of the gilded window at the cloudless sky. "It was cleansed long ago by Terra and given to Mickey as his Keyblade."

The sound of gulls crying over food sounded in the far distance, dampening the sound of the church bells that signaled the time of the day. The lack of occupants in the library only verified that it was early in the morning at Destiny Islands, a stark contrast to the gloomy night that had fallen on Wutai.

"Come on," the girl said quietly. "We should get to the monarchs' bedchambers before people see us. Attention would only delay us."

"Of course," Roxas replied with a nod. "Wait just a moment. I know the fastest way to their room." While he stepped over to the globe made of various polished stones, Coral closed the silver door behind her and locked it with a simple touch. The door disappeared with streams of light as she turned just in time to see a bookshelf sliding backwards and off to the side. A darkened passageway met her eyes; the farthest end of which she could see was a short set of stairs leading downward before curving off to the right.

"You sure know your way around the castle," she commented cheerfully.

"I have to" was the simple reply. He didn't bother to elaborate further on the matter. He didn't need to since that brief statement was enough to remind the Chaser of Roxas's status in the castle regardless of his ancestry.

The Nobody lit a candle on a holder and tossed the match into the smoldering fireplace that heated the room on this late autumn morning. He picked up the candlestick holder and gestured for Coral to enter the passageway before he followed her in. He turned the torch holder closest to the hidden entrance to the left, releasing it only after the bookshelf began moving back into place.

The pair hurried down the narrow passageway and down the stairs, making a quick right as they followed the path. The small snags from the jagged stone wall didn't stop them or slow their progress. Between the turn and a set of stairs that rose steeply in front of them was another path leading to the left. Knowing that the other path led to a sudden drop down to a net in the dungeons, Roxas disregarded the other path and continued on, heaving himself up the steps to continue down another narrow passage.

Though the passageway continued further along, the Nobody stopped in the middle the passageway, turning towards another torch holder on his left. Coral raised an eyebrow at the sudden stop but trusted Roxas's knowledge of the secret passage. Roxas turned the torch holder, this time to the right, and waited for the flooring to slide open to reveal a set of stairs leading downward. Without another word, he entered the hidden stairway within the secret passage, stopping just before the last step once again.

The stone floor slid back into place above them and Coral saw the reason Roxas had stopped. As the floor, now ceiling, closed above them, the last step before the landing lowered into the floor. Undoubtedly it was yet another security measure against potential enemies who knew of this place but might've been too eager to reach the king and queen. After all, the wooden panel that separated them from the monarchs' bedroom was only less than five paces away from the bottom of the stairs.

Once he was sure that they would remain safe in the small enclosure, he quickly knocked four times on the wooden panel with differing strengths. The panel slid open to admit the pair directly into the bedroom. A gasp and the whooshing sound of a Keyblade being summoned met them before the occupants of the room realized who had entered unannounced.

"Your Majesties," Roxas kneeled down. "Pardon us for the intrusion."

"Roxas?" inquired the queen with furrowed eyebrows. "What are you doing here? Where's Sora? And who is this with you?"

"There is no time for formalities," said Coral bluntly. "Your son is in grave danger. King Noctis, we need to borrow the Kingdom Key."

"What's happened to my son?" the elderly man asked with a frown.

"Your son is struggling against the Nameless Key within himself. The darkness is trying to control him. We need the Kingdom Key to undo the lock that the Nameless Key has on your son's soul," the Chaser said.

The queen gasped a soft "no", her eyes swimming with worry. The king frowned at the information.

"Take us to him," he said grimly.

"I'm afraid I can't let that happen," came an amused voice. Coral's gray eyes widened with recognition and she quickly summoned her Keyblade in preparation for battle. Roxas, seeing her tense, did the same, looking about the empty room save for the four of them with narrowed eyes.

"Show yourself, Xehanort!" she called out. The demand met with deep laughter as Xehanort appeared hovering just above the carpeted ground in front of the door. The dark red eyes were cold and piercing, scanning the four before landing upon the glorious Keyblade that could undo his plans. With a feral grin, Xehanort summoned a dark Keyblade and lunged for the king of Destiny Islands. Coral quickly intercepted the man, having easily read his plan of action while Roxas escorted the queen out of the chambers.

"Guards!" she cried, alerting the many servants that were already up and about the castle. Noises of armored men echoed down the corridor towards them.

Leaving the queen in the company of her ladies-in-waiting, Roxas looked back into the bedroom to find the king of Destiny Islands also engaged in battle against the dark-haired man. Unfortunately, it was clear that the former Chaser was more than an easy match for both Coral and the king. The Nobody made for the room, only to be blocked by two strange looking silvery creatures suddenly appearing out of nowhere.

"We cannot let you pass," came the eerily high pitched voice. Pink outlines of blocks swirling about the two creatures quickly shifted to form a barrier at the door, preventing Roxas's entry.

"I don't have time for this," he gritted out. A strange sensation tingled within his limbs and he found himself leaping away from the blocked entrance. Warmth gathered in his right hand and the Oathkeeper blade began glowing brightly. He then tossed the light-infused blade, watching it spin rapidly before striking the barrier, shattering the blocks and dispersing the silvery creatures to the side.

Without giving much thought to what had just happened, he entered the room to find that he hadn't make it in time.

Coral cried out in pain as she sailed through the air and crashed into a dresser away from the battle. The king of Destiny Islands had his back against a wall, panting with exertion. Xehanort was much too fast and too strong for the two to handle. King Noctiscontinued to block the rapid slashes before his strength gave out. His sinister opponent disarmed him and plunged the dark Keyblade into the king's unguarded chest.

"No, Noctis!" screamed the queen.

Roxas halted in his steps, shock written over his face as he failed to protect the king. Xehanort wrenched the Keyblade out of the mortally wounded king, letting the man fall onto the ground in a bleeding mess. He reached for the fallen Kingdom Key only to find himself sailing through the air from a powerful kick to his side.

"You will die before you touch the Kingdom Key," the Nobody hissed angrily. Before giving the man any more time to recover, Roxas quickly closed the distance between the pair and engaged the white-haired fiend in yet another battle.

The aggressive slashes by Roxas were distinctly different from those of his previous opponents and Xehanort quickly found himself on the defensive end of the Nobody's furious blows. He scowled at the turn of events but continued to eye the Kingdom Key with intent. Soldiers marched into the room to add yet another blockade against Xehanort, who couldn't even summon the Heartless while Roxas continued to occupy his hands.

"Leave now, Xehanort," hissed Coral, wincing as she stood back up with an arm wrapped around her midsection. She picked up the Kingdom Key and pointed it at the wall behind Xehanort. A thin beam of light shot from the Keyblade and struck the wall, creating a door with an elaborate crest adorning the face of the door. The man must've known where the door led to for he immediately disappeared without another word.

The green-haired Chaser lowered the Keyblade and made her way slowly to the dying king, an arm still wrapped around her midsection. Roxas disregarded the injury, panic for failing his master scrambling his usually calm thoughts.

The king's head was propped up in Queen Shizune's lap, being tended to by servants with knowledge in the medical arts. Yet, both Coral and Roxas knew that the king will die on this day.

"My darling," whispered the queen softly, tears streaming down her aged, but still beautiful face in droves.

The king opened his mouth but couldn't bear to speak to his wife until the very end, knowing his departure would be very difficult for her and his son once he's heard of this. "Roxas," he rasped out, coughing lightly to clear his throat. "You must take the Key to Sora. Bring him back from oblivion." He reached out for the Keyblade, which Coral handed to him with sadness in her eyes, but she did not cry. With a trembling arm, he passed the Keyblade to Roxas, who accepted willingly.

"I promise," replied the Nobody, his voice wavering with emotion. "He will return to take your place, your Majesty."

"That's good," King Noctis whispered. "I'm sorry to have to leave you all so soon."

"Hush, my darling," said the queen with a sob. The king slowly shook his head.

"I'm sorry, my dearest Shizune. I… shall…" he swallowed thickly, "wait for you…" The last breath left the king's lips and the hand that touched the queen's face fell to the floor limply. A loud sob escaped the queen's lips and she mourned loudly for her husband.

"We will return shortly, your Majesty," Coral choked out. Whether the queen heard it or not, she knew that there was no more time to waste. Her face was sickeningly pale, but still she kept a brave front. "Come, Roxas," she gestured to the Nobody. Roxas stared at the Kingdom Key in his hand and dismissed it with a flash, opening his palm to find the keychain for the weapon sitting forlornly. He nodded hesitantly and took the Chaser's outstretched hand.

"Teleport: Wutai," she said firmly. The heartbreaking scene of a queen mourning for the loss of her husband and the beloved ruler of her country disappeared from their eyes.

* * *

"Riku, wait up!" shouted Cloud as he raced after the silver-haired teen. The said teen turned to regard his pursuer before turning sharply back to face the direction he was headed in and continuing on. Though he made no attempt to wait for the older man, his slower pace allowed Cloud to easily catch up to the frustrated prince.

"You're a hard guy to catch up to," the blond-haired man said, panting. The corner of Riku's lips twitched with slight amusement while he arched an eyebrow, knowing perfectly well that he hadn't been running and that Cloud was as fit as an ox, so to speak. Yet, Riku had never known Cloud to be a joking type, and so the prince didn't know whether to take the general's words jokingly or seriously.

The pair exited the Pagoda through the back entrance, passing through an arched door into the back garden covered by a cliff overhang. The large enclosure created a natural amphitheater in the rock face, amplifying the sounds from the other side of the basin as an alert system of sorts.

Lit paper lanterns lined the stepping stone path passing through the oriental styled lawn with miniature hills across the micro landscape. A lily pad dotted pond sat in the middle of the garden, lined by rocky shores. The stone path led to a granite bridge that arched over the pond before continuing across the lawn once more to end at a small pavilion with red tiles and smooth stone columns.

The silver-haired teen stopped on the bridge, resting his forearms against a handrail to stare unseeingly at the surface of the black water, shimmering with the moonlight and the lamp lights as the water washed to and fro. He heaved a breath; whether it was in exasperation or despair was uncertain for his companion.

"Why are you here, Cloud?" Riku asked without turning to face the older man.

"I thought you needed some company," replied the general easily.

"I don't need any company," murmured the prince.

"So you think," retorted Cloud.

"My responsibilities are my own," Riku snapped. "What would you have me do?"

"No one's expecting anything from you, Riku," the blond-haired man replied instantly, his face sincere but steadfast in his opinions. "You shouldn't expect anyone to believe that you are responsible for everything that's happened. Me, least of all."

"I'm the prince of Twilight Town. The blood of the Three runs through me."

"And so it does for Sora and Kairi. So what? That doesn't mean that the whole world's fate rests on your shoulders alone," replied Cloud tersely.

"But I feel so useless. There's nothing that I can do to help Sora." Riku stared at his own hands, callused from hours of fighting and practicing with his Keyblade. He could imagine that Sora's own were the same as his.

"There's plenty that you can do. Just being supportive of Sora is enough," replied Cloud. "There are some things that cannot be prevented, Riku. I doubt that even the Three could've been able to solved the problem of Xehanort."

"What do you mean?" frowned Riku, narrowing his eyes with suspicion.

"The future would've been changed if the Xehanort was utterly defeated by the Three. The Chasers wouldn't be here. There wouldn't be any Nobodies. You would've never met Kairi's Nobody. Roxas probably would've become your closest confidant based on age."

The silver-haired teen turned to stare at the shimmering water once again, saying nothing to argue with Cloud.

"Hell, who knows where Tifa and I would be right now? Certainly not in Wutai fighting a war. I probably wouldn't even have become a general in the first place."

"What do you mean?" Riku asked, wondering why Cloud seemed so melancholic all of a sudden.

"Do you know of Tifa and my families?" the general asked. The younger man's brows furrowed and shook his head.

"No."

"Originally, both Tifa and I had siblings. Older siblings, mind you," he said. "They were, unfortunately, exact replicas of the Lord and Lady of Zanarkand."

"You mean Shuyin and Lenne?" Riku interrupted, his eyes wide with realization.

Cloud nodded. "My brother, Tidus, and Tifa's sister, Yuna, became their Nobodies."

"So if there hadn't been any Nobodies, Yuna would've been the queen of Nibelheim," reasoned Riku.

"Yes. Tifa would've remained the queen's sister, Princess Tifa. And I wouldn't know if I would've had the courage to become the general of Nibelheim."

Silence blanketed the two men comfortably. While one mulled over the past, the other came to an understanding of the present.

"Remember that both you and Kairi have just been pulled into the war by Sora. He knows about the history more than the both of you and even then, he's only touched on the basics of the Keyblade war. The most you can do right now is to lend Sora moral support by being at his bedside. Let the Chasers invoke the ancient rituals to save Sora from the Nameless Key."

Riku heaved a sigh. "You're right," he said, turning to face Cloud. "I shouldn't be so hard on myself." He pushed himself away from the handrail and straightened up.

"We should get back to Sora then," he added, nodding unconsciously in a gesture of self-reassurance.

Cloud gave Riku a lopsided grin and clapped the younger teen on the back with his left arm, steering him back towards the Pagoda.

"I do have a question for you," the teen started as they entered the Pagoda. "Are you always this talkative?"

Cloud laughed lightly at the question. "Like I said. You looked like you needed some company."

"Good, 'cause I don't think I'm used to this expressive Cloud." The pair said nothing else on the matter.

* * *

When the two men returned to Sora's bedroom, relief washed over Naminé's eyes as she found them entering the room. Both were surprised to see Kairi sitting cross-legged on the ground at the foot of Sora's bed. Mickey sat in a similar position to the left of Sora and Tifa sat to the right. But what was perhaps the most surprising was the symbol drawn in blood upon the unconscious teen's chest; a crown had been drawn there.

Tifa whimpered softly as sweat beaded on her forehead, dripping down her pale face. Unlike Mickey and Kairi, the queen of Nibelheim seemed to be exerting much more to keep the darkness at bay.

"Tifa," Cloud whispered, stepping near her.

"Don't touch her," Naminé said quietly, staying Cloud with a firm hand on his right arm. "You can't touch her." She disregarded Cloud's look of worry and annoyance to face Riku.

"You can, though," she continued. Riku raised an eyebrow at her statement, wondering what exactly made him different from Cloud. "As an heir of the Three, your ability to ward off the darkness is greater than that of Tifa's. Sit like how they sit and touch Tifa to bring her out of the ward."

The silver-haired teen nodded in understanding. Without another word, he quickly prepared to replace Tifa. He took in a deep breath before closing his eyes and touching Tifa on the shoulder. A gasp sounded, but the sound quickly faded away as Riku entered into the ward, finding himself looking at an invisible barrier in addition to the one that the Keyblades provided around Sora.

"Tifa," the general said softly as he supported the exhausted queen.

"I'm fine," she replied, leaning against Cloud so she wouldn't collapse onto the ground. Her breaths came quickly and her legs were certainly weak, but otherwise, she did feel fine.

"Why were you allowed to participate?" frowned the blond-haired man, his eyes scanning over Tifa in examination. "You were wounded."

The queen didn't respond at first, her eyes betraying her conflicted mind over the truth. She knew that she couldn't keep this from Cloud forever. After all, the Chasers were returning for one last battle against Xehanort.

"My grandmother," she whispered. "She's a Chaser."

Cloud's eyes widened with shock. "Queen Aya?"

Tifa shook her head. "No, my mother's mother," she replied. "Lady Arashi."

Before they could discuss further of Tifa's Chaser heritage, a pillar of bright light accompanied by the familiar teleporting sound appeared in the room. The three sitters opened their eyes simultaneously at the appearance of the light and stood up, allowing the ward that they had been holding on to fade away.

When the light dissipated, Coral immediately collapsed into Roxas's arms, her face unnaturally pale.

"Coral!" exclaimed Mickey with worry. "You're wounded. What happened?"

"I'm fine," she replied breathlessly. "Sora?"

"He'll be fine," the mouse-lord replied, eying the keychain that dangled from Roxas's hand. He looked up at the teen and found the Nobody to be staring worriedly at his master. Looking back at Coral, the green-haired Chaser shook her head in response to his unasked question.

"You were the one who dismissed the Nameless Key," he said grimly to the blond-haired youth. "You have to free Sora."

"But how?" frowned Roxas. "I don't know how."

"Point the Kingdom Key at Sora. It'll let you know what to do," smiled Mickey Mouse.

The blond-haired teen nodded hesitantly and relinquished his hold on Coral, allowing Mickey to pull heraway. He stood up and summoned the said Keyblade, pointing it at Sora with both of his hands on the elegant weapon. Though he trembled slightly with uncertainty, the warmth of the Keyblade in his hands washed over him soothingly. A beam of light shot from the tip of the Kingdom Key toward Sora's heart. The white light steadily grew brighter, enveloping Roxas completely before the white suddenly gave way to darkness.

He looked about him with bewilderment, seeing no one else in this strange place but himself. The silence around him reminded him of his dream and he looked down in alarm, but saw no such horrifying sight. Instead, a lighted path shot from where he stood and cut through the darkness, leading him to some distant destination.

"Sora," he whispered before running down the lighted path, the pounding within his heart urging him to go to the trapped prince.

* * *

"You should leave," Sora said, sitting down on the ground within the barrier that remained. Outside, the Heartless continued to slink about, trying to find some weakness in the unexpected barricade.

In response, the Heartless growled angrily at his words, striking the barrier once again. The sound alarmed Sora, as this time, it sounded slightly different than before. The sinister creature must've noticed the difference in sound as well, because it stopped circling about the protected prince and was now standing with a grin on its black face.

"Sounds like the barrier doesn't last forever," the Heartless commented with a low laugh. Sora hissed with latent irritation at the shadowy creature's glee. His mind went on overdrive to search for another way out of this mess. Yet, he's had plenty of time to think about it and his survival instincts had no luck in solving his situation.

Both were so absorbed in their own glee and worry that they didn't notice a beam of white cutting through the darkness, coming at them in a rapid speed.

"Agh!" grunted the Heartless out loud as the white beam cut across its shoulder before striking the barrier. Each hexagon glowed brightly, shimmering even more brilliantly than before when the barrier had first been erected.

"What!?" screamed the shadowy creature upon seeing the barrier stronger than ever. It raised the Nameless Key and crashed it against the barrier. The pillar didn't give way; instead, the Nameless Key bounced back with all the force that the Heartless had put into the attack. The returned force pushed the Heartless away, causing it to stagger backwards.

A blur of yellow came in between Sora and the Heartless. The prince's eyes widened upon seeing the familiar mop of messy blond hair on the figure in front of him.

"You have been out long enough," Roxas said quietly, the Kingdom Key glinting brightly within his hands. "It's time for you to return to the depths from where you came."

"H-how did you get that?" demanded the Heartless, its glowing eyes narrowed upon the Kingdom Key. "It's not supposed to be here!"

"You're not in any position to demand any answers," the Nobody replied tersely.

"I refuse to go back to my prison! The Nameless Key cannot be contained!" the creature screamed madly. It slashed wildly at Roxas with the Nameless Key, but the blond-haired teen easily blocked the attack. Sparks burst forth from where the Keyblades came in contact with one another. Another quick slash from the opposite side was easily parried as well. It was as though Roxas knew the exact attack that the Heartless was about to do.

Sparks continued to rain down from where the two Keyblades met, dotting the black ground before fading slowly. The furious attacks were haphazard from Sora's perspective, yet his Nobody seemed unconcerned by the unpredictable slashes. The rate at which the two blades met increased and the sparks took slower time to fade away. As such, the floor where they stood was no longer black, but rather a smattering of white and red that covered the blackness.

It was then that Sora realized something. His eyes stared at their feet with awe. The sparks that rained down on the floor didn't just land haphazardly on the ground. Rather, they landed in such a way that a decorated circular seal would've been outlined by the sparks; the remaining black would be the seal symbol itself.

With one final meeting of the weapons, the seal was complete. The symbol of the Kingdom Key in the middle of the circle flashed once before a kaleidoscope of colors flowed into the air above the seal.

Both combatants stopped in their fight, looking down at the seal that they had made. The Heartless took a step backward in obvious fear.

"What's happening?" it uttered. "No! It cannot be!"

"The seal is complete," commented Roxas simply. "The Nameless Key will no longer be active. Return to the darkness where you came from."

The Heartless shook its head rapidly, leaving behind tiny remnants of its shadowy essence. It cried furiously once more and brought the Nameless Key down on Roxas. With a mirthless chuckle, Roxas brought the Kingdom Key above his head and watched as the two blades met.

A bright light erupted from where the two came in contact. The Heartless screamed in agony at the light, but he couldn't move the Nameless Key away from the pure Keyblade. The light shredded the Heartless, leaving behind the Nameless Key that seemed to writhe in the light. Both teens watched with fascination as the Nameless Key exploded into dust, covered by the light. The Nameless Key was contained once again.

Roxas turned to face Sora with a smile just as the light enveloped them both.

Sora's eyes snapped opened as he gasped in a deep breath. His eyes widened and narrowed, his sight unused to the bright lighting within the room.

"Sora!" cried Kairi happily, her face coming into Sora's line of vision as the teen gently sat up and looked about him. Familiar faces met his eyes and he could clearly see the relief at his awakening. Yet, underneath the relief, he sensed something was wrong; a melancholy permeated through the room, but Sora had no idea where the sadness originated.

"Don't make us worry again, Sora," commented Riku solemnly. Sora raised an eyebrow at his friend's attempt to deadpan the statement, but failed miserably when the silver-haired teen pulled his friend into a comforting embrace; Kairi joined in shortly, tears streaming down her face with choked laughter.

His eyes eventually landed upon Roxas, who smiled softly at his master. The Kingdom Key remained in the Nobody's hand, seemingly forgotten in this reunion of friends. The smile eventually faded as sadness mirrored in the younger youth's eyes.

Sora opened his mouth to inquire "what was wrong" once Kairi and Riku pulled away from the hug when he found Coral being treated for a nasty wound on her abdomen. Her face was deathly pale and she was clearly unconscious.

"Sora," Mickey said solemnly as he looked away from the wounded Chaser. "Your father is dead."

_

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: Blah. Blah. Blah. Quite a blah chapter, I think. A rather short one compared to the previous chapter. Still, even though it ended on a cliffhanger, it was the best place to end this without going into further details as to what happens next for Sora. Take a guess at what Sora will do next now that he knows his father is dead, if you so desire, hehe._

_As always, some references to clear up. Noctis is the name of the protagonist in FF13 Versus, who looks surprisingly like Sasuke from Naruto (sweatdrops). Shizune is the name of Tsunade's right-hand woman in Naruto, heh… heh… heh… I felt like one of the two monarchs needed a non-Latin-based name since Sora is a Japanese name, XP._

_And questions or comments are welcome and hopefully I'll be able to reply back with an update on this fic sooner rather than later. 'Til then, hope you all enjoyed this chapter._


	17. Bittersweet Homecoming

_To reviewers of chapter 15:_

_NinjaSheik: Here's the update!_

_Agatsuma Ritsuka: Well, I don't think Sora's going to change _that_ much. I do want to keep him in character after all. And of course everything about the Nameless Key is made up; this is a fanfic after all! XD._

_DarkBombayAngel: Wouldn't be much of a story if Roxas doesn't get to play hero for once right? (wink)_

_EikoChitose: Thanks. It was a rather sad ending and a terrible cliffhanger in some sorts, neh? Hope you'll enjoy this next chapter._

_Jenediah Freak: Well, you'll find out in this chapter, muahaha. Oh gosh, another week until 358/2 Day. Maybe I should get another update or drabble in to commemorate the date, lol. Hope high school hasn't gotten you down that much!_

_iOchibi: To be honest, I liked how FF13 Versus is presented. It would've been even more ironic if I had decided to make the queen Stella, who is supposed to be Noctis's enemy in FF13 Versus. Anyways, thanks for all the compliments, hope your story's coming along as well as you'd like it to be, hehe._

_niwa-k: I'd have to agree, but it's necessary in my opinion. He has shown to be depressed at times in KH2 too (even though each episode didn't last that long, hehe)._

_broken-Angel-requiem-Soul: You'll just have to find out won't you? Hehe._

_Azuresapphire15: Oh man, I think you're the representative of all rabid fangirls, XP. While I doubt this update will fulfill your daily need of SoRox fluff, I hope I'm not going to keep you waiting long for some fluff. (sadface)_

_Scripted Memories: Eh, I know what you mean. Recently the characters in some of the fanfics are so flat and the language so uninteresting that I haven't been able to find any fanfics worth reading. That or I'm just too deeply set in my fanfic that other fanfics are interesting. Bah. I'll be honest with you, I play WoW as well (a mage rofl). And you're right, the Chaser teleportation skills are pretty much word for word from WoW spells, but I needed them to say things rather than just thinking it to teleport somewhere. At least they're not dropping portals and tables all over the place (wink)._

_On the last note, at least you'll be getting 358/2 Days. I heard that Australia has the highest number of banned games in the western world. Two more weeks for you!_

* * *

**Chapter 16 – Bittersweet Homecoming  
**

* * *

"He's changed, hasn't he?" Kairi said softly as she and Riku stood on one of the many battlements that surrounded the Destiny Islands castle. They had bid farewell to Wutai just over a week ago, teleporting to Destiny Islands once Coral seemed stable enough to make the journey. Now, only Coral remained on the islands; the other Chasers had opted to return to their vigils until after Sora's coronation.

Though the funeral for King Noctis had been held days before, the entire country was still in mourning of their beloved king.

"He had to," replied Riku, staring out at the distant shadow in the waters drawn by an orange setting sun. The Kids' Island seemed lonely out there, like Sora's newfound isolation in Destiny Islands. "How else could he be king?"

"I don't think his subjects would want such a serious man on the throne," replied Kairi simply, a slight frown marring her usually smiling face. "His father wasn't as serious as Sora is now, that's certain."

"He didn't have to deal with what might potentially be the war for the world," the prince of Twilight Town retorted.

"You forget the Bastion Imperialist War happened almost twenty years ago," frowned Kairi. "Sora's father fought in that war, so did our own parents—your mom and my mom. I'm sure none of them were as serious as Sora is right now. It's like his personality took a 180 degree turn. I can't even carry a proper conversation with him for a minute without him brushing me off to deal with some pre-coronation business!"

"I'm sure he's just got a lot of things on his mind," replied Riku almost casually. Truth was, he didn't like the change in Sora as much as Kairi did, but he was never one to stick his nose in other people's business; Sora, least of all.

"Stop making excuses for him," the red-haired princess retorted immediately. "He hasn't even mourned his own father properly." She wrapped her arms around herself tightly, a chilly breeze seeping into the core of her body much like the worry that made her sick to her stomach.

Riku wrapped an arm around his childhood friend. "Sora'll be fine. He's strong like us. He won't lose his way that easily. You'll see. He'll turn right back into the old Sora once this is all over."

Kairi gave Riku a small smile. "I hope you're right."

The silver-haired prince looked back towards the castle, all the while thinking, 'I hope I'm right too.'

Beside them, Naminé remained silent. Though her face was impassive, her pale eyes mirrored her troubling thoughts that plagued her mind, all revolving about the pair of teens that walked about within the interior of the castle.

* * *

Noctis's death was hard for both Shizune and Sora. While the queen remained in mourning of her lost husband, the prince—soon to be king—of Destiny Islands busied himself day in and day out with the state of affairs left behind by King Noctis's abrupt death. Yet, more often than not, Sora would be the one to avoid his own mother as she sought him out, her motherly instincts coming into play as her son began to ignore his own well being.

Whether it was a residual effect from his contact with the Nameless Key that Sora had become so morose or simply a shock to precipitate the change wasn't something Roxas wished to delve into. What the Nobody did know was that without him there to constantly remind his own master to eat and sleep, Sora probably would've worn himself to exhaustion within a week of his father's death.

And while he did worry for Sora's well being, the prince's stoic and cold exterior hurt Roxas's heart. Many times did Roxas tried to point out bluntly of Sora's lack of attention to his own health, only to be rebuffed by the prince or brushed off without giving them another thought.

It was perhaps this that Roxas seemed to give up on trying to act normally around Sora. He smiled less, his facial features stonier than ever; but within, his heart cried for Sora's loss and for his sudden change.

On this day when Kairi and Riku lamented quietly over Sora's change in behavior, the said prince was walking through the castle mechanically, eying the decorations that were being put up in place of the mourning flowers that dotted the place. His coronation was less than a week away and he wished to be well prepared for this sacred ceremony.

Behind him, Roxas followed his every steps silently, his eyes straying whenever Sora passed by a working servant. There were no smiles in sight. Everyone either was still in mourning or was too nervous that he might mess up his role in the coronation ceremony preparation. Either way, the castle was at the most somber state in all of its days.

As he rounded a corner, he stopped in his tracks upon seeing his mother carrying herself regally down the corridor. A veil of sheer black covered her face as was traditional for Destiny Island women in mourning. A pair of ladies-in-waiting followed her demurely, lending her support whenever she needed it. He was about to make an about-face and find a detour to prevent his meeting with the queen, but he was too slow.

"Sora!" Queen Shizune called out, preventing any attempt on her son's part to avoid her. She hurried down the carpeted corridor with a renewed vigor, disregarding the sigh that passed through her son's body in dramatic fashion.

"Mother," Sora greeted tersely. He looked downward, trying to come up with an excuse to avoid the conversation that most likely would've come if he didn't get the first say.

"Look at me, my dear," she said, gently lifting her son's face to inspect it. As she suspected, bags were forming underneath his normally brilliant sapphire eyes, now a dulling blue. His skin was starting to sallow and pale, leaving him looking gaunt even though he wasn't even 16 years old.

"Have you been eating?" she asked within seconds of inspection. Immediately, Sora's thoughts of avoiding this conversation flew out the window. He felt like a child once again, being scolded by his own mother.

"Yes," he replied simply.

"Is this true, Roxas?" the queen inquired of the Nobody without taking her eyes off of her son. Sora resisted the urge to scowl. Even though he didn't like the treatment his mother was giving him, his heart ached for someone to comfort him.

"Yes…" replied Roxas, pausing a bit in slight indecision. "But only the bare minimum," he added as an afterthought.

The queen frowned at the blond-haired youth's response.

"I'm fine, mother," scowled Sora as he took a step backward away from the queen. "I have a lot to do today. If you would excuse me," he practically spat out coldly. He made to step around the queen, but Shizune would have none of it.

"No," she said, grabbing onto her son's forearm firmly. "You are not fine. You haven't been yourself since Noctis's death."

"I'm just busy right now, that's all," replied Sora simply.

"Do you really know what you are doing, Sora?" Shizune asked her son grimly.

"Are you questioning my ability to rule, mother?" the prince responded heatedly.

"I don't think you know what you're doing. You're not even 16 much less an adult. You're too young to rule."

Sora wrested his arm from his mother's grasp. "I know what I'm doing, mother," he said angrily. "I am king."

"What about your obligation to the world?" she asked accusingly. "You're needed to defeat Xehanort and bring peace back to the world. Don't let your father's death be in vain!"

"I don't care about Xehanort right now!" Sora yelled back, looking away from his mother with petty anger.

Queen Shizune's eyes searched across Sora's hardened feature before she took a step back away from the brown-haired teen, her hands drawn back as though Sora was something repulsive. Her eyes filled with sadness and pain, the amethyst bordered pupils dilated with grief.

"You're giving up…" she whispered. The accusation washed over Sora like a bucket of cold water.

"Mother," began Sora with a pleading voice, his features softening with regret. "That's not true," he continued desperately.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm sorry to bother you, your Majesty. It was my mistake." She bowed hastily. "I'll take my leave."

"Mom!" Sora called, but the queen simply ignored his attempt to amend their now fractured relationship. The elderly woman continued on her way, silence filling the corridor like the gap now rest between Sora and Shizune.

The to-be-king's posture slouched with a melancholic sigh. He looked back at where his mother had disappeared from his sight at the end of the hallway. He looked at his silent Nobody and frowned.

"Did I lose my mother, Roxas?" he inquired softly, as though he was afraid of the answer.

"That's not for me to answer, your Highness," came the immediate reply. Another breath of sigh passed through Sora's lips.

"Did I lose you too?" he asked, looking at the blonde expectantly. A moment of silence passed before the Nobody said the reassuring words.

"You haven't lost me. I'm still here, aren't I?" he replied flatly. To that, Sora didn't know whether he should feel relieved that he wasn't alone or he should feel regret for pushing away everyone from his life. He looked out the window at the clear skies, painted orange red by the setting sun. A moment of misery flashed across his sapphire eyes before he smiled painfully and continued on his way to meet with some aristocrats prior to dinner.

* * *

The days passed by quickly and in two days, Sora would be crowned king of Destiny Islands, becoming the youngest monarch since the days of the Three when King Ventus took the same throne that Sora would sit on for the coming years. Even then, Ventus had been more than a year Sora's senior when he became king at the age of 18.

Sora woke at the crack of dawn as he became prone to do upon returning to Destiny Islands. Roxas, as usual, was not at his bedside, undoubtedly mingling amongst the citizens of Destiny Islands for news as Sora had first asked of him.

Once he woke, he took the time to dress himself, ignoring the golden cord next to his bed to notify the servants of his rise. The months spent away from Destiny Islands had made Sora much more self-motivated to do the mundane things involved in his morning ritual. The simple actions also amused his tired mind, filled with the day's plans and things he needed to deal with before and after he became king.

By the time he was ready for the day, he still had plenty of time before the morning meal. And thus, he found himself strolling through the luscious back garden behind the castle.

He acknowledged the morning guards posted around the garden nowadays. With the coronation ceremony coming up soon, patrols were longer, more frequent, and all in all, a hassle in Sora's eyes. He was perfectly capable of handling himself, though his heart still palpitated rapidly when thoughts of Xehanort and the Nameless Key entered his mind.

Winter was coming, Sora knew; if it wasn't here already. A comforting chill wrapped around his covered body, nipping at his nose. The crunch of gravel beneath his boots was the only thing that met his ears loudly as he continued his stroll. Everyday, the path was the same: stop at the central fountain, head right to the pond, go to the back where the roses are, return to the fountain through the herbal gardens on the opposite side of the pond, and finally head back to the castle.

The stroll was routine until he started to pass through the herbal gardens. The royal healer and the royal apothecary were in the garden, picking herbs for their stores no doubt.

"Good morning, your Highness," they greeted, bowing after one another once the apothecary saw him. Sora was grateful that the healer was a few arms' length away from him and the apothecary, or he'd get an earful about his state of health.

"You look pale, your Highness," commented the elderly man softly. Even though the apothecary had an apprentice, he obviously still enjoyed getting herbs for his stores. "Might I suggest a sleeping tonic?"

Sora chuckled in response, a passionless sound that made him wince within. "If you're suggesting opium with a glass of wine before bed, Thomas, I think I'll pass. It's not something that I tolerate well."

Thomas smiled at the prince with amusement. "I remember that terrible episode," he replied. "It's unfortunate that it was the only thing we could give you. Of course, we hadn't counted on the fact that you were still more under the effects of sugar than the depressants, leaving you bumbling yet still hyper. I do have something more potent," he continued.

"Something more potent?" inquired Sora.

The apothecary nodded. "It is an infusion of asphodel with monkshood. A few drops are enough to guarantee a full night's sleep."

The prince's eyes widened with surprise. "Even for a Nobody?"

"Well, I don't know about Nobodies, but it's only been developed by Midgar a month ago." He pulled out a vial of clear liquid, an eyedropper was held within the glass vial. Sora took the proffered vial and looked at it with fascination.

"Only a few drops?" he asked.

"One drop will ensure two hours of sleep. I would suggest four for a full night's sleep."

"What if I wished to sleep longer? Would there be any unpleasant effects?" Though the question was innocent enough, Sora could feel himself shaking at what he wanted to do.

"No, your Highness. There are no ill effects stemming from an increased dosage of the tonic. I daresay that if you had taken the entire vial, you'd be asleep for a month," he joked. "There is no danger of being asleep forever or for death, if that's what you wished to know."

The thoughts of Roxas entered into his mind as he continued to hold the glass vial filled with the clear liquid. He recalled faintly that he had asked the Nobody if he had lost him as well; the Nobody's reply was negative. Yet, he knew that Roxas had changed, and that made Sora's heart cry. While parts of him couldn't fathom not having Roxas there beside when he became king and would instead be surrounded by guards at every outing, he reminded himself that the blond-haired Nobody wasn't always there.

"Thank you, Thomas," said Sora with a grateful smile as he pocketed the vial. "I think I might just need to have a day's full of sleep after this ceremony." The apothecary replied with soft laughter.

"It's my honor, your Highness," he replied. "It would do you service to get more sleep."

"I will, Thomas." He waved good-bye to the elderly apothecary and then to the royal healer before continuing on his way, returning to his room in preparation for Roxas's daily report.

Upon reaching his room, he looked about in thought, wondering where he should store the vial without letting Roxas know. Yet, he knew that somehow Roxas would manage to find the vial within hours of him storing in the room. Though he partially wondered why he didn't want Roxas to find the vial, not wishing the Nobody to find out that he was capable of taking care of his own health, a small part of him scolded himself for being underhanded.

Luckily, he didn't need todwell on it long for the doors opened to admit Roxas. And for the entire time that Roxas reported monotonously of the state of the town about the castle, Sora took strange comfort in knowing that the glass vial was safe and sound within his coat pocket. He knew what he had to do that day.

* * *

It was yet another long day for Sora, holding court for the fifth consecutive day in the week prior to his coronation. Besides court, he also made his daily rounds about the town and the docks, meeting quietly with the captain of a merchant ship to secure a passage. He also sent Roxas on multiple errands throughout the town, as not to rouse suspicion from the Nobody on his plans.

While these rounds weren't entirely necessary, the brown-haired teen knew that it had to be done. After all, he had to complete his mission to save the world from Xehanort's insanity and the horde of Heartless.

He slumped into a chair next to the burning fireplace, the wood crackling under the red flames. He stifled a yawn, waiting for Roxas to return with the evening's meal. His left hand bumped against the glass vial in his coat pocket and he reached in to pull the clear container out. The mesmerizing clear liquid shimmered with the flickering flames. Sora felt his mind blank and the tiredness leaving his body.

A knock on the door broke him out of his reverie and he hastily repocketed the vial, straightening his jacket out. Roxas entered the room with a covered tray balanced on his right hand and two more servants followed him in, one carrying a tray while the other carried a large carafe and a container for silverware and table setting. Wordlessly, he set the tray down on the small round table set in one of the corners of Sora's bedroom and laid out the spread for two. The other two servants placed their own cargoes on a rectangular table set against the wall next to a cabinet with various drinks and tonics before leaving the two teens alone.

The fare was simple: green salad tossed with vinaigrette, consommé with custard royale, grilled fish with rice pilaf, and bread pudding, all accompanied by Paopu juice. Roxas set the hot consommé out first before returning to the trays to toss the salad.

His heart palpitating with trepidation, Sora slipped the vial out of his coat pocket and splashed a few drops of the clear liquid into Roxas's soup bowl, watching as the liquid dispersed easily into the soup. With each dish set on the table, he did the same for all of them. He knew what he must do to save Roxas.

Neither teen spoke much during dinner. Sora, though fearing that Roxas would recognize the sleeping draught in his food, managed to finish his meal without any problem. And all the while, the Nobody simply ate quietly, never questioning the food on his own plates.

After dinner, Sora frowned as Roxas set about to clear the table. Confused thoughts of why the Nobody wasn't drowsy yet filled his mind completely. He began to worry that his plan would not work when Roxas had paused in his work to stifle a yawn.

"Roxas," he said softly, his voice belying none of the complicated emotions that he was feeling. "Would you stay with me tonight?"

"Sure," the Nobody replied with a nod. He continued cleaning up mechanically, disregarding the tiredness in his body and mind.

Meanwhile, Sora feigned tiredness with a yawn of his own, standing up to undress out of the formal wear he had been wearing for the entire day. He slipped into his sleeping attire and went over to Roxas, laying a hand on the sleepy teen's shoulder. The Nobody stopped what he was doing and turned to look at Sora.

"Leave it for now," Sora commented tiredly. The blonde simply nodded quietly, putting down what he had been doing and allowing the prince to guide him over to the bed. The pair got into bed with Sora wrapping a protective arm around his Nobody. Soon, Roxas fell asleep.

A few minutes later, Sora opened his eyes tentatively, his heart racing with anxiety. He listened for the regular breathing in his Nobody's body before he shifted lightly, testing whether the Nobody would wake, but he did not.

"Roxas," he said into the teen's ears. He shook Roxas's shoulder forcefully, saying his name again louder. Still, the yellow-haired boy slept on.

Sora breathed a sigh of relief and quickly got out of bed, throwing on an overcoat as he crossed the room to the fireplace. He turned a brick on the corner of the mantle and watched as the back panel of the fireplace rotated to bring two cloaked figures into the room. Without being prompted, the slighter person gestured for the other to pick up the sleeping teen, bringing the hood of his Nobody's garb over his head.

"Follow me," the prince said softly, leading the way back into the hidden passageway that the two unnamed figures had waited in. He made his way through the passageway quickly, remembering where Roxas's room was and led them into the Nobody's drab quarters. With the smaller person's help, Sora packed up the meager belongings Roxas had with him from The World That Never Was. With everything else packed up, Sora pulled out a small keychain from his coat, eying the silver charm with painful memories. He quickly blinked away the moisture that was beginning to pool in his eyes and placed the charm on top of all the rest of Roxas's belongings. He then tied up the pack and handed it over to the smaller of the two unnamed persons.

"You know your way out?" he inquired.

"You needn't worry, your Highness," the shorter figure said with a feminine tone. "Your order will be carried out without fail."

"I thank you, captain."

"It is an honor," the woman said with a quick curtsey. She gestured for the larger man to follow her and disappeared down the passageway back out of the castle.

Sora watched their retreating backs with a sad smile upon his face.

"Farewell, Roxas."

* * *

The following day found Sora in Coral's room, summoned by the Chaser herself. The green-haired girl was beginning to suspect the brown-haired teen's resolve to see his task through. She glared at the changed prince with simmering anger, a frown etched upon her wrinkle-free face.

"You need to finish what you started," she said quietly.

"I… know," he replied, but the moment of hesitation made Coral frown even deeper. "I need time to sort out my kingdom's affairs before I leave it to my mother."

"Your mom's been ruling this country for a much longer time than you have," said Kairi quietly. While she normally didn't like to antagonize her friend, this Sora is so thick-headed that she couldn't help but feel the same exasperation that the Chaser was feeling right now.

"Don't make excuses," the Chaser said coldly.

"Who says I'm making excuses?" retorted Sora instantly.

"I heard about what happened between you and your mother." Sora stiffened slightly; while he knew that the confrontation wasn't behind closed doors, he hadn't expected the Chaser to know of the incident. "I don't think you know what you're doing. You're not coping."

"I'm fine!" flared the prince angrily.

"No, you're not," said Kairi softly, her eyes watering in seeing her friend pushing everyone away. "You're afraid that the Nameless Key would take you again. That's why, isn't it?"

Sora made to leave the room, jumbled thoughts making it difficult for him to come up with a proper answer. He didn't need to worry anyone else already. A body stood between him and the door, however, and when he looked up, he saw the concerned face of Riku, frowning like everyone else in the room.

Trapped by his friends, Sora had no choice but to confront his fears. He allowed the cracked mask that he had been wearing for so long fall, physical and mental exhaustion weighing down his body. He stumbled across the room, waving off Kairi and Riku's offers of help, and plopped down in an upholstered chair next to the roaring fireplace.

He released a breath he hadn't known he was holding and slouched forward with his elbows on his knees. Coral took a seat near him, her eyebrows furrowed with concern. Kairi and Riku sat as well on the couch in front of the fireplace.

"You shouldn't worry about the Nameless Key," Coral said gently. "It has been resealed and it would require tremendous efforts on Xehanort's part to release it from you."

Sora turned his face to look at the Chaser. Hard lines marred his youthful face, making him look emaciated, much too unhealthy. His eyes searched the green-haired girl's face for confirmation, fear gripping his heart like a deadly vice.

"Besides," she said with a smile, "you didn't succumb to the darkness when the Nameless Key was at its strongest after its release. I daresay that your body's built a resistance to the Darkness. Even _if_ Xehanort manages to undo the seal around the Nameless Key right now, it won't control you."

"And we always have the Kingdom Key to control it," added Kairi lightly. Sora stiffened at the thought of the Kingdom Key, which did not go unnoticed."

"Sora. What's the matter?" frowned the Chaser. The soon-to-be-king didn't answer her immediately, sending dread down her stomach. "Where is the Kingdom Key?"

"I sent it away," whispered Sora softly. "I sent it back to Twilight Town."

Riku's eyes widened with realization. "You sent Roxas away," he concluded, "didn't you?"

"Yes."

Coral stood up from her chair, wringing her hands in worry. "You are a foolish man, Sora," she commented.

"Why?" asked Naminé softly. Although Sora had expected the question to come, he hadn't expected it to come from the Nobody who had been so silent for this entire time. "Why would you send him away when he only wishes to remain with you?"

"I didn't want him to get hurt," said Sora softly. "He's already been hurt too much. He deserves a free life, not bound to a man's duty to save the world."

"What makes you think he doesn't want that?" asked Kairi. "You shouldn't push away your loved ones."

"Sora," said Coral gravely, "where is that shuriken-looking charm that Roxas should have?"

The prince scrunched up his forehead with confusion. "He gave it to Marlene." A pause followed. "Why?" he asked suspiciously. "What is it that you're not telling me? Telling us?"

The Chaser bit her lower lip, racing thoughts of retrieving the charm as well as protecting Roxas colliding in her mind. The sound of a Chaser teleport interrupted the tension within the room. When the light faded, they found the burly black-haired, amethyst-eyed Chaser standing in the room.

"Rocky," acknowledged Coral with surprise, "what brings you here?"

The newcomer eyed each of the occupants with a nod. "Mickey sent me here," he said as his eyes lingered upon Sora's pallid face. "Xehanort's on the move."

"So soon?" frowned Kairi.

"Where?" inquired the green-haired girl unhappily.

"He's recruited Midgar and Bevelle to march against Nibelheim."

"What!" blurted both Sora and Riku at the same time.

"Why would he want to invade Nibelheim now?" mused Coral aloud. "The Chaser ruins and records are of no use to him. The ancient forge has been abandoned for the past millennium."

"There must be something there that Xehanort has discovered that we don't know about," commented Rocky. "Whatever it is, we don't have a lot of time to figure it out."

"Does Arashi know?" Coral asked. Rocky shook his head silently.

"She's still guarding the 13 Mushroom Keyblade. Mickey said that she's in a trance right now building up defenses around the last of Levan; she's heard about Xehanort's reappearance at Wutai."

"I can't believe that Shinra would be so thoughtless as to think that no other kingdoms would go to Nibelheim's aid. What was he thinking!" Sora fumed angrily.

"Shinra's not in charge," Rocky said quietly, "Scarlet and Heidegger staged a coup with Xehanort and imprisoned the Shinras and their supporters."

"Elena and Reno?" asked Kairi worriedly.

"We don't know. What we do know is that the Shinras have become unpopular in Midgar. So the overthrow of the pair wasn't met with resistance."

"Undoubtedly Scarlet and Heidegger were the ones who gave the Shinras the bad name," muttered Sora.

"They must've come in contact with Xehanort for a while then," Coral reasoned.

"That's what we're thinking too," confirmed Rocky. "In any case, we need to retrieve the Keyblade from Nibelheim. Arashi will want to join her granddaughter in protecting Nibelheim."

"I'll go," said Kairi, standing up as she did so. "Naminé will come too."

"I'll drop you off at the Nibelheim entrance on my way back to the others," said Rocky with a sideways grin. Kairi returned the grin with a smile of her own.

"We'll stay here and figure out what we need to do to ensure Nibelheim doesn't fall to Xehanort," said Riku.

"Oh, Coral," the heavily-built Chaser started, "Mickey said to keep no more secrets. They will need to know what's to happen with Levan as well."

Coral's gray eyes caught Rocky's amethyst ones and nodded with understanding. She swallowed down a lump of discomfort just as her fellow Chaser said "Teleport: Nibelheim" and brought Kairi and Naminé with him in a flash of light.

Sora opened his mouth to inquire what Rocky had meant, but Coral raised a hand to stay his question.

"Both of you," she said, "sit down."

The two teens looked at each other before complying, confusion written across their faces clearly. Once they all sat, the Chaser let out of a sigh and began the explanation.

"When Kairi takes the 13 Mushroom Keyblade from the Nibelheim Station of Awakening, Levan will disappear. It was bound to happen because the floating continent had been supported by the magic of the Keyblades.

"That's not all, however. You need to know that Levan acts like an extra barrier between this world and the realm of Darkness. It is able to do so because of the Stations of Awakening; since they are grouped up in one concentrated area, the Keyblades work in tandem to weave a web of light magic that surrounds this world. It is this barrier that keeps the majority of the Heartless out of our world. The disappearance of Levan with the Door to Darkness open as such, we will see resurgence in the numbers of Heartless in the near future." She snorted sardonically. "At least, until the final seal is completed to separate this world from the realm of Darkness and banish the Heartless back to their realm."

"Why wasn't this final seal done by the Three? Or even before now?" asked Riku.

"Because we didn't know what had to be done," she answered truthfully. "We do now, after all these years. But still, we have no idea what else might occur once we eradicate the Heartless from this world."

"What do you mean?" frowned Sora, eyebrows furrowed with bewilderment.

"Although the Heartless are invaders, they have been around on this world for such a long time that they've left impressions in the world. The various wastelands stained with black sand would take centuries to return to their original environment."

"It's still better to do it now than let it prolong," said the prince of Twilight Town with a grin.

"So it is," smiled Coral. "But, this can only happen once all the players of the original Keyblade War take their proper place in history. That includes Xehanort, the Heartless, the Chasers, and…" She took a deep breath. "Ventus."

"Ventus?" asked the prince of Destiny Islands. "Why is Ventus involved?"

"Ventus died young," started Coral.

"Because of the Nameless Key." Coral nodded tentatively at the statement.

"But it's a lot more complicated than that. When the Nameless Key was absorbed by Ventus, the essence of the Heartless anguished at the imprisonment. A deep seeded evil was in that Keyblade and it had cursed Ventus to a short life which it carried out the longer it remained contained. This curse wasn't passed down his line because the Key had lost its potency by the time Ventus had an heir.

"The Nameless Key was separating Ventus into body and spirit, which he realized at the prime of his life. While his brother and sister lived strongly, he knew there was something wrong with him and that's due to the gradual separation of himself into the two parts.

"Unfortunately, the story doesn't simply stop there. It was the Nameless Key's wicked desire to make Ventus suffer as long as it remained sealed up. When Ventus died in body, the Keyblade locked his spirit up in a charm, the very same one that Roxas's father had bequeathed to him. No one knows of the story because Terra, Aqua, and the Chasers kept the secret even from Ventus's own wife and children. Terra took the charm with him and passed it down his line."

"What does this have to do with Roxas?" asked Sora.

"You don't mean…" Riku's eyes widened with shock. His brown-haired friend looked at him with confusion before looking at Coral, who nodded in affirmation.

"Roxas is the reincarnation of Ventus in body."

Silence followed, but the Chaser made no attempt to interrupt it, letting the news finally sink in.

"When the Nameless Key returned to this world, the seal on the charm was weakened. This means that a reunion of Ventus's spirit and body is very likely should the pair come together. However, this reunion can only be done in the presence of the Kingdom Key, which will attempt to restore Ventus since it recognizes one of its masters."

"Does Xehanort know?" asked Riku grimly.

"He does," answered the Chaser.

Sora sighed. "This is all my fault," he murmured sadly.

"No," said Coral before he mired himself further in self-loathe. "We should've told you earlier. I don't think either one of us really expected the Nameless Key to have appeared as it did."

"What can we do right now?"

"We can't go to Roxas right now; the Chaser teleport spell will tear the boat apart as long as it's in motion. All we can do is wait until the ship docks in Twilight Town and hope that we will reach Roxas before Xehanort does."

The prince of Destiny Islands breathed out yet another sigh.

"Until then, Sora," smiled Coral. "You have to cheer up. You're the king now. And while that does mean there are a lot of things to do, you have to be yourself when facing these challenges. Don't do your father's memory injustice by not being yourself."

"I haven't been myself lately, huh?" commented the brown-haired, blue-eyed teen lightly.

"You can say that again," said Riku with a grin. Sora, unable to stop the childish urge, stuck his tongue out at his best friend.

"Oh, real mature, Sora," he laughed.

"Thank you, Coral, Riku."

"Hey, that's what friends are for, right?" the prince of Twilight Town replied, throwing a playful punch at Sora's shoulder. Coral smiled at the display and stood up to curtsey slightly.

"It is an honor to have known you, your Majesty."

* * *

Roxas moaned groggily as he awoke from his deep slumber, his ears picking up the sound of waves crashing against the wall of his room yet his brain didn't acknowledge it. The fogginess of his sluggish mind confused Roxas, but the more he thought about it, the more confused he became. He shifted in the cot that he slept in, his sensitive skin pointing out the coarse cotton that surrounded him, something that didn't seem to belong in Sora's room. After all, Sora was going to be coronated and his bed sheets were replaced with silk bearing the Destiny Island emblem.

It wasn't until the Nobody's sense of balance rolled with the waves did Roxas finally realize that he was no longer in Sora's room. He sat up with a startled gasp, his eyes immediately looking out of the view port within his cabin. Endless blue the color of Sora's eyes met his own aquamarine eyes, and not a piece of land in sight.

He scrambled out of the cot, disregarding the simple pack that sat on the table similar to his very own when he first left The World That Never Was. He slammed open the door in a panic, nearly bumping into the ship's cook. A dulled thud interrupted the sound of wet wood creaking around them as the cook dropped the metal pot onto the floor. It was sheer luck that the pot of stew didn't spill out.

"Oh my lord," the woman said, her hands covering her racing heart. "You scared me."

Roxas regarded her and the cabin boy behind her with wide eyes. The boy, not much younger than himself, was carrying a set of wooden bowls and wooden spoons. Undoubtedly it was nearly lunch time based on the light outside.

"Where are we?" he asked bluntly, watching as the cook picked up the pot's lid to check the steaming contents.

"A little more than two days from Twilight Town," she commented before picking the pot once again. "Come, you must be hungry. The captain will tell you everything you need to know."

The cook and the cabin boy continued down the narrow hallway underneath the deck, entering into a room off to the left from Roxas's view. A clangor rang loudly up top before footsteps pattered down the stairs on the other end of the hallway. A small crew of sailors filed into the room with jovial spirits, chatting raucously with one another.

Roxas ran a hand through his grimy hair, wondering how long had passed since he fell asleep in Sora's room. While he estimated it to be longer than three days since it was a five day journey on the seas to Twilight Town from Destiny Islands, he didn't know if he had been drugged for a much longer time than that. He rolled his tongue around in his dry mouth, frowning when there was no aftertaste of the drug that was used on him. Whatever it was, it wasn't something that the trainers at The World That Never Was had drugged the Nobodies with to train their immunity.

He looked back into his room, noting the bare cabin besides a familiar black sack that sat forlornly on the smallish desk. It would've looked like he was just leaving The World That Never Was if it wasn't for the fact that he wasn't wearing his usual Nobody garb and he sported a few new scars with all the battles he'd fought alongside Sora.

Resisting the urge to sigh, he made his way towards the back of the ship away from the mess hall, where he knew a barrel of fresh water would be waiting. Using the wooden ladle, he cleaned himself as best as he could, washing his face and rinsing his mouth; all the while attempting to quell the rumbling of his empty stomach, aching for sustenance. The gnawing hunger, coupled with the fading adrenaline rush and the residual effects of the drugs in his system, left him weak. He had to lean against the wooden walls as he slowly made his way back towards the dining room.

Just as he was passing his room once again, the cook exited the dining room, shouting back orders to the first mate apparently. Her shrewd eyes fell upon the weakened Nobody and clicked her tongue. She quickly went over to him and supported him.

"Not a good idea to have a hearty soup after all," she commented. "Let's go down to the galley where I'll whip you up something healthy and not so strong for your stomach.

Roxas nodded his thanks, his mouth suddenly too dry to reply. With the woman's help, he walked down the few steps to another level of the large ship—a galleon, Roxas supposed—where hammocks were hung in an open area before a walled area that lead presumably to the galley.

The smell of salted meats and dried goods tickled his nostrils the moment he stepped into the large galley. His stomach gave another loud growl in response, to which the cook laughed heartedly. She sat him down on a stool near the food preparation island and pulled out a small loaf of bread and a bar of butter from the pantry.

"Salted pork won't do you much good right now," she commented, pouring him a glass of water with a few drops of what obviously was rum. The Nobody didn't question the woman's spiced mixture, knowing perfectly well that rum was considered a cure-all on the seas despite its alcoholic content. He simply busied himself tearing apart the cooled bread and slathering on some butter with the wooden knife he'd been provided with.

She pulled out a small pot and ladled water from a nearby barrel, setting the water-filled pot on the metal stove. She raked the charcoals, bringing the flame back and tossed in a handful of dried scallions along with pieces of salted cod. While those stewed in the water, she peeled and cleaned some potatoes and onions to the best of her abilities, humming softly as she worked.

Roxas slowly ate the bread, letting his empty stomach get used to the feeling of food once again. He winced as the first of the bread entered into his weakened stomach, causing a slight cramp as the stomach churned, using the muscles that had been unused for at least three days. Still, despite the discomfort, he continued eating the meager food that he can get in, smiling as the aroma of seafood stock filled the air.

By the time he finished the bread, the soup was just about ready. He drank a few gulps of the diluted grog and closed his eyes to smell the aroma of the fish soup, simple yet nutritious. She set a bowl of the clear broth in front of him, handing him a spoon as she pulled out the potatoes from another pot of water that had been stewing. She made sure the Nobody had started drinking the soup before she began mashing the potatoes, adding a touch of butter here and there to make it smoother.

His appetite whetted by the bread and diluted grog, he drank the broth with gusto, the flavors soothing his stomach and invigorating his body.

The cook chuckled softly at his eagerness to drink the soup. "Slow down," she warned lightly, placing a dollop of mashed potatoes into another bowl and setting it next to the eating Nobody. "You'll get a stomach ache eating that fast."

A faint pink brushed over the Nobody's cheeks and he nodded quietly, slowing his eating. He ate some of the mashed potato, smiling slightly at the taste of faint garlic mixed into the fluffy mash, before returning to his soup.

In the meantime, the cook busied herself with cleaning up, keeping an eye on the young charge and the food to make sure that the former didn't eat too fast and the latter kept warm just in case she believed that he could handle more food. A knock on the wooden wall separating the gallery from the rest of the crew's sleeping quarters caught her attention and she looked up to see the captain entering the area, carrying the large metal pot that was nearly empty.

"Captain," she acknowledged happily, hurrying to take the pot from the newcomer. Roxas turned from his food to find a smiling woman with flowing honey blonde hair draped behind her, her green eyes mirroring her strength and high expectations from her crew. Roxas was sure that it was because of those attributes that made the men respect their captain despite the gender difference.

The captain set her tri-cornered hat on the counter and took a seat next to the Nobody, saying nothing at the moment as she waited for the cook to ladle out soup from the pot. She saw that Roxas had stopped eating and smiled.

"Eat," she command, "it'll be good for you."

The Nobody nodded silently and resumed eating. The only sounds that filled the air were utensils clanging dulling against the wooden bowl, the consistent wood creaking about them, and their eating. Roxas made no attempt at conversation and neither did the cook nor the captain, who looked rather young to be a seasoned sailor.

When he finished the soup and the mashed potatoes, the cook immediately refilled his bowl with more soup, but held back on the potatoes lest the Nobody ate too much too fast. After a few more spoonfuls, however, Roxas decided against finishing the soup. Instead, he nudged the half-finished soup towards the cook and thanked her politely. The cook nodded with a smile on her face and set the bowl aside, continuing with her own meal.

The captain finished her meal soon after Roxas and tossed the wooden bowl she had been using in a sink, wiping her hands on a clean rag. She returned to her seat and took a swig from her mug of grog before speaking.

"Your services at Destiny Islands are no longer needed," she said. The words made Roxas feel like the floor suddenly dropped out beneath him, sending him down into the murky black of a churning sea. His eyes widened with shock.

"W-what?" he asked, trepidation of his future echoed thickly in his voice. His mind became a jumbled maze of thoughts, reeling from the bitter rejection.

"That's what your master said," the captain replied with a frown. "You are no longer bound to His Royal Majesty, King Sora of Destiny Islands."

"That can't be," Roxas breathed out, shaking his head in denial. "Why?"

"He did not say," whispered the captain, feeling sympathetic for the Nobody. "All he told me was to take you to Twilight Town. He even instructed me to locate your family."

The blond-haired Nobody looked down at his hands, his visions blurring unfamiliarly as droplets fell from his eyes. His body shook with the feeling of betrayal and confusion, wondering what he did wrong. He let out an audible sob as the cook pulled him into her embrace, soothing him like the child that he really was.

The captain bit back a soft sigh, not wishing to upset the teen further with her pity. "You should rest at least for another day," she said as she stood up from the stool she had been sitting. "If you wish to do something, I'll give you something to do tomorrow." Roxas didn't reply but the cook met her captain's eyes to ensure that their charge would rest.

Within Roxas's sobbing body, his heart ached with the shards of betrayal.

* * *

Roxas awoke the following day early in the morning, the emotionally draining event of the previous day still plaguing his mind. He tossed and turned in the small cot anchored to the side of the boat and closed his eyes, trying to return to sleep, the childish part of him that had surfaced with Sora's efforts wishing to avoid facing the reality. His restless mind wouldn't allow him the luxury and he breathed a sigh as he sat up, his eyes following the dark sea across the horizon to the pink predawn.

He got out of bed and approached the small black pack that sat on the table undisturbed. Though he was curious as to what was in it, he knew that it would've been all of his belongings if what the captain had said was true. His fingers moved deftly through the knot at the top of the pack, revealing the contents within the pack within seconds. While the usual black of his Nobody garb stared back at him, where the shuriken-looking charm had once sad was replaced by the keychain for Kingdom Key.

The Nobody blinked with surprise at the sight. He picked up the silver charm and listened to the tinkling sound. With a flash of light, the Kingdom Key sat in his hand brilliantly, its shine and glow calming him. The hurt from his sudden dismissal dulled in the background and he found himself smiling softly in the presence of the ancient Keyblade, the very first that the Three had created.

He dismissed the Kingdom Key with another flash of light and pocketed the keychain. With the soft smile still upon his face, Roxas knotted up the pack again and stepped out of his cabin. He closed the door behind him softly, though he didn't need the discretion with the wood creaking about him. No one was within the corridor at this hour, though the blond-haired teen could hear steps softly echoing down to him amongst the creaks and crashes.

He shivered as he stepped out onto the predawn deck. Frost hung in the air but didn't impede his movement; in fact, it had only served to invigorate the Nobody, who had been cooped up indoors for the majority of this voyage. He looked about him, seeing a woman serving as a look out on the crow's nest. An unshaven sailor was manning the helm rather absent-mindedly. Roxas didn't fault him for not paying much attention; the sky was clear, the sea was calm, and the wind behind the sails were not strong enough to warrant delicate maneuvering lest the sails be ripped to shreds.

"Hey, help me with this would'ja?" someone said to him. Roxas turned to find a last of the night crew pulling up a rope on the other side of the deck. The Nobody nodded silently and helped the tanned sailor pull up the rope. As they continued to pull the rope up, Roxas could see where the ship gets the majority of its fresh food. Tied onto the main rope were strings of fishing lines, many of which had caught larger food fishes while others had the remnants of smaller fishes still. At the end of the line was a large cage, where a few shellfish had made their way into the pot. One particular shellfish was enough to prove their approach to Twilight Town: a lobster.

The fishing sailor gave a loud burst of laughter upon seeing the lobster, catching the attention of his mates on deck.

"Ellione's going to be thrilled about what we caught today!" he said raucously.

"Cedric, What'd we catch?" shouted the woman on the crow's nest.

"A lobster!" he shouted back. "And enough crabs for crab cakes!"

"What's with the entire ruckus?" joined a new voice as the captain of the ship emerged from her cabin. She placed her tri-cornered hat on her head and went over to inspect the catch of the day.

"Sorry, cap'n," greeted the sailor named Cedric. "Didn't mean to wake you up."

"I was already awake," she replied, her eyes twinkling at the sight of the lobster as well. "Clean the lot and bring 'em down to the galley," she commanded. "And tell Ellione to send Lucas up with breakfast for two."

"Yes, ma'am," saluted Cedric before setting off to clean the catches.

The captain gestured for Roxas to follow her into the captain's cabin, where a large rectangular desk sat in the room. Strewn over the desk were navigational charts, maps, and various records, typical of any captain's desk for sure. The only thing that was out of the ordinary was the private screen at a corner of the room, set at the foot of the small cot that was similar to the one in Roxas's own room.

"Sit," she said, gesturing to a simple chair.

"I want something to do," he said bluntly, not bothering to sit. The dirty-blond-haired woman stopped in her tracks and raised a dainty eyebrow at his blunt request.

"That can be arranged," she replied with a hint of a smile. "I would prefer you stay indoors until the drug is completely out of your system. I'm sure Ellione will like some help in the gallery."

Roxas nodded hesitantly, a slight frown on his face.

"You do not agree with the arrangements?" the captain asked.

"I would like to work on deck," he answered simply. "I've been indoors for far too long."

"While I can see your reasoning, I'm afraid I can't allow that. If something were to happen while you were on deck, I'd never forgive myself for the incident. Please, just help Ellione with the two meals and I'll allow you to work on deck tomorrow. We'll be docking in Twilight Town sometimes in the afternoon tomorrow as well. I'm sure you'll find it a remarkable sight."

"Very well," the Nobody complied with a nod.

"Thank you," the captain said just as Lucas entered the cabin bearing a tray with their breakfast.

"Captain Swann, your breakfast," he said.

"Set it on the table, Lucas." She gestured for the cabin boy to place the food on the table.

"Eat with me, Roxas," she added, clearing the table of the charts and papers for the food. "I'd like to hear of your travels with his Majesty."

"There's not much to tell," said Roxas.

"Nonsense," scoffed the woman, taking her hat off yet again, "there is always something worthy of story in a journey."

The blond-haired youth blushed lightly at the encouragement and sat down to a meal at which he spoke the most at once in his entire life.

* * *

The captain hadn't been joking when she said she would allow him to work on deck the following day. At the crack of dawn, a sailor had come to his room to rouse him for the day's work. By the time Roxas had gotten on deck, activity was already milling about. Things had to be stowed back downstairs prior to docking while others had to be brought back up. The few cannons on deck were reloaded with fresh powder as the last stretch of the journey into Twilight Town was notorious for the pirate raids, despite the Twilight Town's best efforts to prevent such raids.

Roxas allowed himself a brief smile as he breathed in the fresh sea air and bathed in the warming sun. He then joined the crew in preparing for this last leg before their arrival.

The sun was well past the midday point by the time the crew completed the majority of the docking procedure, hoisting all of the sails save for the three on the main mast. Even then, they didn't have the stomach for lunch since they were still sailing in dangerous waters until they could see Twilight Town in the horizon. It wasn't until the captain commanded the lot to take a break and eat was lunch finally served.

Lunch was eaten on deck instead of below: a simple fare of cold cuts in between slices of bread accompanied with grog, an orange, and pieces of the grilled fish they had caught in the morning. The atmosphere was light with an undertone of tension until a comforting shout came from the crow's nest.

"Land ho!" a man's voice came. Cheers erupted across the deck as the crew hugged and slapped each other on the back in relief. Roxas turned his eyes toward the distant speck of black that would grow as they drew nearer and thoughts of his family suddenly dawned upon him. He looked down at his half-eaten lunch, his appetite gone, replaced by the flutters of anxiety.

A reassuring hand lied upon his shoulder and he turned to find the first mate smiling benignly at him. The much older gentleman had kept an eye out for the younger man the entire time on deck, even sharing a story or two of the ship's voyages as a merchant ship and in her days of glory with the Twilight Town Navy.

"Nervous about meeting your family?" he asked in the rich tones that seem too smooth for a seasoned sailor.

"Ah," the teen replied.

"I'm sure they'll be thrilled to see you," chuckled the older man.

"Do you have family?" Roxas inquired curiously.

"Yes, a wife and a daughter. She's almost old enough to marry." The man laughed with amusement at that, garnering a raised eyebrow from the young lad. "But, she's more of a free spirit like me, wanting to sail like her papa; even though her mother disapproves."

"Where are they?"

"They're in Twilight Town," the man replied. "I reckon they'll be on the docks waiting for our arrival."

"My family doesn't even know I'm coming," muttered the teen quietly. "I don't think they would ever expect me to return either."

"I'm sure they'll be delighted," grinned the first mate.

"Mister Kramer," called the captain. The elderly gentleman gave Roxas another reassuring smile before turning to face the captain at the helm.

"Yes, captain," he saluted.

"Relay to the crew to finish eating within the hour, we'll be docking in another two hours."

"Yes, ma'am." The first mate then stepped down onto the main deck and made the announcement, causing another cheer to erupt from the crew. Roxas didn't doubt that they all had family in town, since the ship was based there. Amongst such joviality, the Nobody couldn't help but smile as well, the unease within his heart lifting as the clock tower against the back drop of a hill covered with houses appeared in the distance.

* * *

Friends and families with free time came to greet the arrival of the ship as it sailed into the harbor, slowing with the water current. Once it was berthed, activity bustled across deck and the nearby dock, cargos were unloaded and the crew met with their loved ones.

"We'll be staying here for a fortnight to restock and accept orders until we're full again," said Captain Swann as she joined Roxas at the railings on the helm deck. "Then it's off to Northern Crater we go."

"You're part of the northern water fleet for Twilight Town?" asked Roxas.

"I'm surprised you know of the fleet," smiled the captain. "We're not exactly part of any fleet fulltime; I'd like to have some freedom with where I go. There are only a handful of ships based in Twilight Town that is part of any particular shipping fleet. The rest of us are free spirits, so to speak." She laughed briefly. "Come, let's go make some inquiries at the castle for you."

Roxas nodded quietly, returning below deck to retrieve his pack before joining the captain on the dock as she registered her ship with the harbormaster. It wasn't long before the woman steered him off the docks and into the town, passing through the bustling marketplace set up near the docks and stretching across toward the central plaza.

Trolleys on rails made their rounds about Twilight Town, over and across the cobbled thoroughfares, reminding Roxas much of Midgar. Yet, there was no sign of streetlamps due to the perpetual sunset that continuously casted light over the town. They passed through the spacious central plaza and walked up the ascending approach toward the clock tower where the Twilight Town royal court was.

While it was rather bizarre that the central station for the trolley system in Twilight Town was directly inside the royal palace, the amount of security around the palace made the central station the most unlikely way for enemies of Twilight Town to invade the palace. Not to mention the fact that the royal family residence is not actually in the palatial area above the central station. Instead, the royal family lived in a remote estate within the forest bordering Twilight Town, an area built like a maze to confuse invaders.

The central station was busy as usual, with people taking trains to other nearby villages with their weekly shopping, others lined up at the various counters that surrounded the station making inquiries, commerce, news—the central station was the center of Twilight Town.

Captain Swann looked about her with searching eyes, though her ship was based in Twilight Town, she never had the necessity to come to the central station. Upon seeing the counter for the Twilight Town census, she told her young charge to stay where he was and headed straight for the line-less desk.

Roxas's eyes wandered about the grand public area, finding giant gilded windows with clear glass shimmering with orange light. He stilled upon seeing the crystal chandelier that hung from the domed ceiling which was decorated with hundreds of small murals and even more motifs. The Nobody didn't doubt that the chandelier in the central station at Twilight Town came from the same place as the one in Destiny Islands. After all, they were so similar that they were practically identical.

So mesmerized by the varicolored chandelier, Roxas couldn't help but think on the coronation ceremony Sora had to go through in order to become king.

Though his training forbade him from letting his mind wander and fantasize, especially in an area that he's never been in, the blond-haired youth willfully set aside the training and imagined the throne room in Destiny Islands.

_The marbled floor would be covered by a red carpet in the center that stretched from the grand double doors to the platform where the old throne for King Noctis once stood. In its place would be a new throne made from mahogany and decorated with gold leaves, etched with the symbols of Destiny Islands and the Ultima Keyblade._

_Queen Shizune would be standing at the top of the stairs, a serene smile on her aged face; but Roxas knew that her eyes would shine not with happiness, but with anguish over the physical loss of her husband and the spiritual loss of her son, unless Sora had made an attempt to reconcile with his mother before he resumed his duty to the world._

_Standing next to the queen on the stage would be Lord Kinneas, a rather young but wise advisor to her Majesty and the late king. Princess Kairi and Prince Riku would also be standing on stage, though farther off to the sides rather than center stage. Coral would also be there most likely, standing next to Queen Shizune's other side as the representative of the Chasers now known to the world to be thus-far immortal._

_The doors would open with the first notes of the Destiny Islands anthem. Aristocrats and servants of the castle would be lined up next to the carpet or straining to see their new monarch from the second tier. Smiles would be on each person's face._

_Dressed in royal navy blue with a white fur-edged tapestry-like cloak that trailed several feet behind him, Sora would slowly move down the carpet toward the steps like a bride walking towards the altar on her wedding day. His black boots would be gleaming, the white dress shirt crisp and pristine, the navy blue jacket would be pressed as well, covered by the royal sash and adorned by a cravat. The entire outfit would be completed with a pair of white dress pants that was as crisp and pressed as the dress shirt._

_At the end of the anthem, Sora would be standing at the top of the steps with a look of confidence on his face. Silence would fall for a few seconds after the last note rang out within the room before the prince would kneel down in front of his mother._

_Queen Shizune would then tell her son to rise and, in a sonorous voice, bestow the royal heirloom sword to Sora. The prince would unsheathe the jeweled weapon, swinging it about in ceremonial fashion before placing it into a decorated wooden pedestal, a symbolic gesture of the prince's dedication to his kingdom, his people._

_Sora would then kneel down once again and with his head bowed, utter the rehearsed words loudly for all in attendance to hear._

_"I, Sora Caelum of Destiny Islands, hereby swear that I will protect my kingdom and her people, bring prosperity, avoid calamity, and serve my people with all my life. Shall I fail to provide these basics for my people, may the ancient kings before me strike me where I stand and damn me to eternal suffering."_

_In response, Lord Kinneas would say, "We, the people of Destiny Islands, acknowledge you as our king."_

_Coral would follow up with "We, the Chasers of the times of the Three, acknowledge thee as the ruler of Destiny Islands."_

_And finally, Queen Shizune, with the king's crown in her hands, would say, "We, the ancestors of Destiny Islands, welcome you to the line of Ventus the Youngest. May your rule bring prosperity and peace to the kingdom we share."_

_The crown would be placed on Sora's head and applause would sound within the hall. Two servants would help the new king out of the heavy cloak and lay it on the carpet for all to see. Sora would then stand, turn with the grace of the king, and present himself regally to the attendees of the royal ceremony. Only when the applause ended would Sora then leave the throne room and present himself to the eager subjects that stood in the courtyard to see their new king._

_The only person missing from the entire ceremony would be him, Roxas._

"Roxas," a voice came, interrupting his thoughts just as Captain Swann shook his shoulder. The Nobody turned to look at the worried woman with glassy eyes. "You all right?"

He blinked away the glassy look in his eyes and nodded rapidly. "Just thinking," he supplied succinctly. The captain, though still suspicious, accepted the excuse without protest.

"Come, we have to take a train to one of the outer boroughs of Twilight Town. It is there that your family still resides."

* * *

The ride to the borough of Sunset Hill took no more than five minutes. Though the majority of the borough was occupied by aristocracy—Sunset Hill having one of the most spectacular views of the rest of Twilight Town and the ocean beyond, old families, including Roxas's own, dwelled at the foot near the train station.

Captain Swann directed Roxas to his family's house, making sure that the teen was at the right building before she returned to the station to catch the next ride back to town center. She would've stayed to watch Roxas reunite with his family, but the young lad had insisted that he would be fine. Still, to keep a peace of mind, she told him the inn where he could most likely find her should his reunion prove to be anything but successful.

And thus, Roxas stood in front of the green painted door with indecision. He couldn't remember what day it was, so distracted was he by the butterflies fluttering in his stomach and the thoughts of the various scenarios that might occur.

He took in a deep breath and ran a free hand through his oily blond locks, grimacing at the dirty feeling. Releasing the breath, he summed up the courage to knock on the door, sparing himself of further agony through anxiety.

For a few moments, all was silent. The Nobody stood there stiffly and listened closely for sounds of activity on the other side; though it was difficult with his heart pounding in his ears. Then, at long last, he could hear soft footsteps on the other side before the door was pulled open with the squeaking of joints and the scraping of the door against the ground.

A pair of pale blue eyes peeked through the crack between the painted door and the wooden frame. "Who is it?" the tired voice came.

The blond-haired teen opened his mouth slightly to utter a reply, but his voice refused to work. He simply observed as the pair of eyes scanned over his features with confusion and curiosity—the face was strangely familiar. It wasn't until the pale blue had take in the entire figure did they widen with surprise, realization washing over the owner of the eyes like the sea breeze sweeping into Twilight Town at that very moment.

The door was quickly slammed shut, startling the Nobody as he hadn't been expecting such a response. However, through the closed doors, his sensitive hearing could still pick up the muffled voice of the woman who had answered the door.

"Luneth! Luneth!" she had called. "Aqua! Come!"

Two pairs of steps rushed toward the front door with urgency. "What is it?" a man's voice came. He could only think that the two named persons had joined the woman at the door, both wondering what or who was at the door.

"It's _him_!" the woman with pale blue eyes exclaimed. "He's back!"

The door reopened to reveal a strongly built man who looked like he was towards the end of his prime. He was flanked by the older woman who must be the man's wife on one side and by a blue-haired, aquamarine-eyed girl who appeared to only be a few years Roxas's senior on the other. Each one of them looked at Roxas with guarded optimism.

The Nobody swallowed visibly. The air around them was thick with checked emotions as the Twilight Town based family tried not to give into the hope that their youngest member of the family had returned to them when he was known to be a Nobody.

"Ventus?" asked the man almost softly, his voice wavered with heavy emotions.

"That… is not a name I am familiar with," Roxas replied hesitantly. His heart pounded rapidly against his ribcage; nervousness that he had never felt before flooded his system, making it difficult for the Nobody to think straight and to keep decorum. "My name is Roxas."

"The Nobody of Prince Sora of Destiny Islands," added the blue-haired girl-almost-woman uncertainly, as though a part of herself remained in denial that this boy standing in front of her was the same babe that she almost had no recollections of.

"I am he," confirmed Roxas. The woman who had greeted him at the door initial let out a choked cry before she crossed the few steps to latch onto the blond-haired teen like a lifeline. His mother sobbed hysterically but with joy, knowing that her son had actually returned.

The blond-haired teen was taken by surprise by the woman. Yet, despite the fact that he's never truly known them in his entire life, he couldn't help but feel warmth of a family surrounding him. He wrapped his arms around his mother, letting the pack that was in his hands fall to the ground.

"Welcome home, my son," greeted his father with tears in his eyes. His sister, unable to speak, wrapped her arms around her mother and her brother, tears of joy falling down her face.

Roxas's own eyes watered with happiness and a smile appeared on his face. His eyes traveled upward to look at the old house before looking back at his father.

"I'm home."

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: Holy crap, I didn't realize how long this was. Without all the extra stuff from reviews and my ramblings, this chapter has 11k, almost 12k, words. And if I thought that was long, I just remembered how long chapter 11 was…_

_Of course, references to point out. Don't really need to point out Swann since she shows up in KH2, haha. Ellione, Mister Kramer, and Lord Kinneas are all references to FF8—the latter two referring to Cid Kramer and Irvine Kinneas. An infusion of asphodel with monkshood is known as the "Draught of Living Death" from Harry Potter. You could argue that Cedric's also from HP as a reference to Cedric Diggory, but I think Cedric's not a particularly singular name. Lucas hails from Mother 3, also known as Earthbound 2 in the US, which was never officially released beyond Japan by the way. Luneth's from FF3 and the name of the mother that I didn't specify in this chapter will be Refia, also from FF3._

_A bit more rambling about this chapter, Twilight Town seems like New York with the outer boroughs, haha. And the entire thing about Roxas and Ventus seemed a tad clich__é, like some half-assed plot device. Please do let me know if you felt the same way and if you feel like there was way too much embellished language that made this chapter way too lengthy.  
_

_Anyways, beyond that, this chapter's a bit flat on the action side but gets into more of the emotional stuff. I'm sure you were all expecting a sad beginning, and hopefully the ending mellowed out the emotional down. Speaking of the ending, realistic, Roxas probably wouldn't have felt any attachments to his family, especially since he would have no recollection of his family by the time he was taken away. But since the heart is more of a magical thing rather than scientific, it makes sense! I don't even know why I bothered to bring that up…_

_As I said before, another week until 358/2 Days comes out in the States and two more for all you Aussies out there. Will I play? Probably. As soon as I get over the fact that Xion the character probably is another attempt at trying to keep people interested in KH until KH3 comes out. I'll talk more about BBS when the time for its release is announced._

_But enough of that, hope you enjoyed the chapter, blah blah blah. You all know what I'm going to say, haha._


	18. Return

_To reviewers of chapter 16:_

_DarkBombayAngel: Quite a surprise, eh? Haha. There'll be more on Roxas and his family this next chapter of course. Hope you enjoy it._

_Blaid: While I appreciate the gesture, I don't think I'll be introducing evil counterparts to the Chasers. The Chasers that I've created is as far as I'll go in terms of original characters. Thanks for the offer though._

_Kumiko Yoshikuni: Hope you did end up reading the rest of the story up to this point._

_iOchibi: Yeah, it's too bad Sora won't have breaks now that he's king. And I agree, Roxas probably wouldn't want to put his family in danger if he knew about his relationship with Ventus the Youngest. But all of that will be covered in this next chapter, so I'll stop talking now, haha._

_Cedarleaf: I think the Sora in this chapter made a lot of people want to hit him over the head with a large rubber mallet. XD In any case, we will see if both sides will come to an understanding in this next chapter (wink). All of a sudden, I'm visualizing Roxas being the rope in a tug-o-war between Sora and Roxas's family, lol._

_LupinandHarry: Thanks for letting me know. I'm happy that I didn't go overboard with the embellishment after all._

_j99450: Well, Roxas is technically still Roxas as himself. He just resembles Ventus the Youngest a lot—though that might be understating it, lol. But if you want to say that Sora is in love with his ancestor, then this would be one messed up family tree._

_niwa-k: You're not the only one who thought that way, haha. Hope you enjoy this next chapter._

_Jenediah Freak: Hmm, you're probably right in that, can't have the entire story just all action-filled. I wonder if there are more clichéd "Roxas is Ventus" fics out there… No, bad idea, must keep to my own thinking, haha._

_Black and Red Candles: Finally, a critique! Hehe. You bring up very good points. However, I'm going to leave off my entire response to your critique until the very end since it's very long and I didn't want to take up more space before the actual chapter than I've already have, haha._

_Azuresapphire15: Rofl. Poor Sora's getting beat up by everyone so far, XD._

_broken-Angel-requiem-Soul: Good to know you enjoyed it. A number of things contributed to Sora's change; his experience with the Nameless Key shook him up a lot, compound that with the news of his father's death and then his coronation at such a young age. It's a lot of things that overwhelmed Sora, thus I saw fit this drastic change in Sora's demeanor, even if it is only temporary, hehe._

_Void: Why thank you. Hope you enjoy the next chapter._

* * *

**Chapter 17 – Return**

* * *

Refia stood in the open doorway to Roxas's room, leaning against the wooden doorframe as she looked at the sleeping boy. Thousands of questions popped up in her head the longer she looked at the teen, but she didn't have the heart to voice them.

She took in a deep breath as a pair of arms wrapped around her shoulders. She raised one hand to hold her husband's hands, caressing the back of a hand lovingly.

"I never thought he'd be back," she said softly. "I thought he was lost from us forever."

"There are still many questions left unanswered," replied Luneth. "As much as I don't want to face the harsh truth, we can't give into the hope that he'll stay here with us forever."

"You can't possibly think that he ran away from Prince Sora!" gasped his wife. "His training wouldn't have allowed for it!"

"I'm not saying that," the white-haired man whispered harshly. "I'm just saying that we don't know if Prince Sora only allowed Ven to visit us for a few days or if he released him from his services."

"What does your heart say?" Refia asked, leaning back into her husband's embrace.

"That Ven will stay with us," Luneth answered. "But for how long, I cannot say."

"Prince Sora will be visiting us soon then," murmured Refia tiredly.

"Yes, my dear. Until then, we must make Ven feel at home. He has been deprived of human love for far too long."

Refia nodded in understanding. She left her spot at the doorframe and softly closed the door behind her, leaving Roxas in the umbral darkness of his room.

The said teen opened his eyes with a sigh, his ears having picked up the entire conversation that had just been held between his parents.

He knew that his family would have a lot of questions regarding his sudden arrival in Twilight Town when he obviously should still be in Destiny Islands. Luckily for him, he had managed to skirt around the issue in the remaining hours of this day prior to sleep, feigning exhaustion from a long journey. Yet, he knew he couldn't avoid the discussion forever, especially not in the days to come. After all, it was only natural for non-Nobodies to be curious about things.

He sat up in the orange-sheeted bed; the room in which he found himself had been left mostly untouched since the departure of the previous occupant. There was a feminine touch to the furnishings of the room, suggesting that whoever stayed there last was female. However, try as he might, Roxas couldn't come up with a reasonable explanation for the room. Aqua wasn't the last occupant since her own room was right across the hall. It was highly unlikely to have been his mother also since she and his father didn't seem like the type to have the need to separate their sleeping quarters due to a heated argument.

He banished the unanswered thoughts away and drew open the heavy blue curtains that blocked out the sunset's rays, letting the orange light deepen the reddened hue within his room. Leaning against the window, the Nobody looked out at the everlasting sunset of Twilight Town. The majority of the populace in the township was asleep and the former Nobody knew that he too should be asleep. Yet, Prince Sora's decision to release him from his duties so abruptly still bothered him.

His eyes watered with the glaring red in the distance and he looked away from the sun, turning his back on the window. Slumping back down to sit on the bed, the Nobody tried to imagine a normal life, not as a Nobody, but just the son of Luneth and Refia, brother to Aqua and who else? He couldn't remember.

He reopened his eyes sadly. He couldn't fathom being normal. All he saw was a sea of blackness. And it scared him. Thinking back on the past few months between rescuing Marlene in Revenant Wings to now exiled to Twilight Town, the Nobody found that it was all a blur. It felt… unnatural the longer he dwelled upon those memories. It was as though he was detached from the Roxas that lived during those days; bitterness gripped his heart and twisted his perspective.

"What was the point of all that?" he muttered quietly. "Look where I ended up. It would've been better if I hadn't become so weak." He scowled at his last statement. Yet, despite his belief that he had become weak and allowed himself to show emotions, he couldn't help but feel frustrated and angry at the sudden change. He was no longer the Nobody of the Prince of Destiny Islands. He was just a commoner, left in an unfamiliar place to dwell in a stranger's house.

"Not strangers," he corrected himself. "My family…"

He couldn't vent his anger on the people who were never by his side at The World That Never Was. They were his true family, not the fragmented, dysfunctional, broken form of a "family" composed of Nobodies. He knew within his heart that they cared for him deeply and anguished over his absence. But the bitterness within his soul burned coldly.

A soft breeze blew through the window and soft tinkling sounds rang above him. He looked up to see a large mobile with stars, bells, a moon, and a sun hanging from the ceiling. Staring at the spinning mobile, Roxas allowed his mind to wander. He breathed another sigh before closing his eyes and lying back down on the bed. He only wished that his sleep would be uninterrupted by dreams.

* * *

Seagulls crowed raucously in the morning. A chill settled in the room through the open windows; winter couldn't be held back even by heavy curtains after all.

The blond-haired boy groaned in his sleep, curling up tighter in the comforter. He rolled his face away from the window, shivering as his body came in contact with a cooled area on his bed. That only induced him to clutch the comforter even tighter to his body.

A soft knock went unheeded before the door slowly opened. Refia peeked in with a peaceful smile on her face before she shivered in the cold. Tip-toeing, she made her way over to her son's bed and reached over to close the windows. Almost immediately, the room warmed up several degrees. The fire in the small furnace crackled with dying embers.

Quietly, she took a handful of kindling and tossed them onto the dying fire, stirring them with an iron poker before placing pieces of fresh lumber onto the rekindled fire. Instantly, the room began to warm with the fire.

Turning back to look at her son, the reddish orange-haired woman softly padded across the floor and leaned down to touch her son, making sure that he was actually there. Her outstretched hand hovered above his hair hesitantly before she finally touched his forehead, pushing back the bangs that obscured her son's vision.

Her hand hadn't lingered for more than a few brief moments before clear aquamarine eyes snapped open in alarm. She gasped as a pale hand shot out from underneath the comforter to grasp the offending wrist in a vice-like grip. His eyes locked onto her own—the former glinting coldly while the latter shone with checked emotion.

Upon realizing who it was, the aquamarine eyes softened considerably. He let go of his mother's wrist and gave her an apologetic smile.

"Sorry," he murmured, sitting up with a yawn. He rubbed away the sands from his eyes, all the while knowing that his mother's eyes were on him. He blinked deliberately to check that his eyes were clear and looked up at the silent woman.

"You should get your hair cut," she commented, one hand pulling at the ends his spiked hair. "When was the last time you got it cut?"

"A few months before I got to Destiny Islands," Roxas answered frankly. He pulled at his own hair, noticing for the first time that they were getting rather long and unruly. "Just hand me a pair of scissors and I'll get it." He attempted to smile happily at her, but it came out shy and awkward.

"I'll cut it for you," Refia said, "let me baby you for once."

"O-okay," the blond-haired teen replied with a pink tint on his face.

"Come," smiled his mother, patting him on the back lightly. "Let's go downstairs and have breakfast." Roxas nodded in agreement.

He followed his mother quietly down the wooden steps. He expected his father or Aqua to be at the table already, but neither one of them were there. Refia went straight over to the fireplace where a small crock hung over the large hearth. Another hole in the brickwork was an oven, where another fire crackled loudly, baking two loaves of bread.

"Where's dad and Aqua?" Roxas asked as he sat at the table upon Refia's instruction.

"Your father's already at the royal residence working in the stables. Aqua's still asleep," she replied, stirring the contents of the crock with a wooden spoon. "I'll be heading to the royal residence after I give you a haircut too. Aqua should be awake by then to take you into town. You'll need to change out of your Nobody's clothes, of course."

Roxas looked down at his attire, bleak black signifying his true station in society, making him stick out like a sore thumb amongst the commoners. In Destiny Islands, people knew him as Sora's Nobody, but here in Twilight Town, since Sora clearly wasn't in town, it would've been suspect for him to venture out into Twilight Town without accompanying someone else other than a commoner even if he _was_ released from his duties.

"My entire wardrobe's like this," the teen said with a frown.

"We'll just have to dig out some of Terra's old clothes then," smiled Refia, scooping out some of the hot oatmeal into a wooden bowl.

"Te-rra?" uttered Roxas with confusion, blinking his eyes unrecognizing the name.

"Your brother," explained the woman. "He lives in Twilight Town Proper with his wife."

"Oh," the boy said lamely. He picked at his food silently before eating the cooling mash. Likewise, his mother ate quietly as well, the topic of conversation lost in the meal.

With his bowl half-finished, Roxas stopped eating and looked up at his aging mother, streaks of gray cutting through the sienna-colored hair. "Mother," he started, gaining the woman's attention. "I heard what you and father talked about last night."

"Oh," uttered Refia in response, a flush on her cheeks. She knew she should've suspected that he wasn't actually asleep last night, especially with their semi-heated conversation. She stirred her oatmeal much like Roxas did earlier on, making a small part of the youth wonder if he picked up the habit from his mother.

He put aside his curiosity and drank from his cup of orange juice before he would start explaining. "His Highness…" he started, "no, I mean, his Majesty, released me from my duty as a Nobody."

"What?" frowned Refia, her eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Only Prince Sora has the rightful authority to dismiss his own Nobody, you."

"Prince Sora had already become king," explained Roxas. His mother's pale blue eyes widened with shock.

"When? How?" she asked anxiously.

"Just a few days ago. King Noctis had been murdered just over two weeks ago."

The sienna-haired woman gasped. "How horrible!" she exclaimed. "Did they catch the culprit?"

Roxas shook his head in negatory. "We know who it is, but we won't be able to catch him until the very end."

"What do you mean?" she asked, her heart pounding rapidly as though she knew the answer.

"There is a war coming," the boy explained. "Actually, it's already here. The war that had begun with our ancestors will finally come to an end with us."

"When you mean 'us'…" she whispered fearfully.

"Prince Riku, Princess Kairi, King Sora," he paused in brief hesitation, "and me."

"No!" cried Refia with a slam on the wooden table. She stood up rapidly, knocking over the chair she had just been sitting in, and stared at her youngest son with tears in her eyes. "Why?"

"Because we can wield the Keyblades of the Three," Roxas replied calmly. Refia blinked at her son deliberately, her eyes searching his face for confirmation. "I know that our family's related to royalty."

His mother lifted the chair up and sat back down, slumping down with near disbelief. "You are the only one out of our children who even know that we're of royal blood."

"Terra and Aqua don't know?" Roxas asked.

Refia shook her head. "We've never told them. They might know, but they've never asked us to confirm."

"Then why did you name us after the Three?"

"When Terra was born, he had that gray red hair that was so akin to the historical description of Terra the Eldest that we couldn't help but name him that. Same went with Aqua. We were wary of the possible hidden meaning behind our children until Stella was born. She was the only one that didn't match the Three, born on a special night when the sky shone with stars that were visible even against the setting sun. Of course, when you were born, the sense of foreboding returned."

"Stella?"

"Your older sister by just a little over three years," explained. "She was the one who lived in your room until two years ago."

The blond-haired teen was hesitant about pursuing the matter upon hearing the immense sadness in his mother's voice. However, he was curious as to what had happened to cause such sorrow. "What happened to her?"

"She died protecting Prince Riku," Refia sighed. "She was his Highness's closest confidant at the castle. He told her everything, even his little crushes and insecurities. They were like siblings." She smiled tenderly at the fond memories.

"Two years ago," murmured the former Nobody softly to himself. His eyes widened upon realization. "Stella died to the Heartless." It wasn't a question.

Refia nodded silently.

"Then you understand why I must do this!" Roxas exclaimed, startling his mother with his passionate insistence. "It's not just the world that's at stake here. Stella has to be avenged!"

"I won't allow for it!" blurted the woman desperately. "I've lost one daughter to the Heartless, I can't bear to lose you as well! Not after we've just gotten you back." Tears streamed down Refia's face steadily. She wiped at them, but still they continued to fall. "I won't have you sacrifice your life for a world that's given you nothing but pain and suffering."

"But it's also given me joy," replied Roxas calmly. "Sora could've very well kept me at Destiny Islands, but he decided to send me here to find my family. How can I just stand back and watch this world go to ruins when I know I can do something?"

"What would you do for your master?" asked Refia solemnly, the fact that her son referred to the now-king of Destiny Islands by his name without the title was not lost on her.

"Everything." He held back the bit about him doing this not simply because Sora was his master, but rather he harbored strong feelings for the Somebody, something that couldn't be explained by any logical words.

Refia's eyes scanned across her son's face with close scrutiny, searching for any hint that might suggest that her intuition regarding her son's feelings.

"Do you love his Majesty?" she asked softly. Roxas's eyes widened slightly, taken aback from his mother's statement.

"I…" he hesitated, "I think so." He took in a deep breath before continuing, clutching the front of his black robe rather tightly. "It's not just a sense of duty that I'm willing to do everything to protect Sora. There's something in my heart that's driving me to do it."

"It's a strong feeling, huh?" Roxas nodded quietly.

"Stronger than the love that I have for you guys," he continued softly, looking away in shame.

Refia breathed a light chuckle in response to the teen's admission. "Of course," she said. "You've spent a lot more time with his Majesty than you have with us. That one year before they took you away was a distant memory. I'm sure you don't even remember that."

"So," she continued with a sigh. "Where does that leave us?"

"What do you mean?" Roxas asked, looking at his mother with confusion.

"Isn't it obvious?" she replied, pushing away her bangs from her tear-stained face. "You'll be leaving us as soon as King Sora comes to Twilight Town."

"Oh," Roxas murmured, looking down sadly. "That is if he'll have me back," he added softly.

"You don't think he will?" Refia raised an eyebrow.

"He did send me away from Destiny Islands without my knowledge," the Nobody answered bluntly. His mother looked at him in alarm.

"What?"

"He drugged me two nights before his coronation and I was on the ship to Twilight Town asleep for three days before I discovered what had happened. I had no say in the matter."

"If that's the case, then you have the say in whether you will go or not?" suggested Refia hopefully.

"Perhaps," the teen replied flatly. "I wouldn't put that much hope in it though," he added as an afterthought. "I'm only a Nobody after all."

The woman's weak smile faded with her son's pessimistic statement. Silence fell upon the pair like the winter snow that was just around the corner. The blond-haired youth chewed on his lower lip, silently berating himself for making his mother sad when this reunion should be joyous. At least, he thought it should've been.

Though he wasn't entirely sure what he needed to do, he knew it was the only thing he could do. He stood up from his chair and rounded the table to wrap his arms about his mother's shoulders in a comforting embrace.

"Even if I do go when Sora comes, I'll be sure to come back and visit," he reassured his mother. "I'm sure Sora wouldn't object to my wishes."

"And if Sora doesn't want you to come with him? Will you still chase after him?" she asked with resignation.

"Only until after Xehanort is gone," Roxas answered easily. "After the world is safe, the family will be complete again."

Refia patted her son's hands lovingly. "Just come back to us in one piece?"

"Of course, mom," Roxas smiled.

"Now let's get you your haircut." The Nobody simply complied with a smile and a nod of agreement.

* * *

That afternoon found Roxas strolling through the streets of Twilight Town with a smiling Aqua at his side. He pulled at the sleeve of the shirt that was entirely too large for him, but it was the only shirt that they could find that hadn't been cut up into rags and the rest had been taken by Terra when he moved into Twilight Town Proper with his wife.

"Good day," greeted Aqua at a market vendor, waving at the plump woman with a smile. But she did not stop at the stall to make purchases. It was clear to Roxas that his older sister was well known around these parts. Perhaps it was because of the fact that she came from one of the oldest families in Twilight Town.

And perhaps it was that fact that kept the questions surrounding Roxas at bay for a while.

"Who's that with you?" one vendor had eventually asked after greeting the blue-haired lady. Aqua smiled enigmatically at the vendor.

"Just a relative," she answered simply. The elderly man looked at her with raised eyebrows before nodding in understanding and turning to tend to a customer.

Roxas dared to stop and look at the vendor as Aqua continued on. The man didn't even bother to take another glance at him, so the teen hurried to catch up to his older sister, getting closer to her as he whispered.

"They don't know who Sora is?" he asked quietly, following Aqua down the street.

"They know," she replied with that same mysterious smile. "The denizens of Twilight Town are very discreet," she explained. "Surely they've noticed the resemblance between you and King Sora. But since I'm here, they have no reason to question your presence after all."

Roxas held back his curiosity in questioning the prominence of his family in Twilight Town amongst the lower class.

They rounded a corner and traversed down a lesser populated street. Signs for tailors, blacksmiths, carpenters, and various other artisanal shops lined the cobbled thoroughfare. They stopped in front of one particular store with a tailor sign hung over the door. Aqua opened the door, setting off the bell as she did so, and gestured for Roxas to enter.

Rolls of cloth were placed on shelves that lined the shop's walls. Near the window display that was separated off by a heavy burgundy curtain was a rack of finished clothes, ranging from kid's wear to work clothes to attire for more important occasions. A board was hung at one end of the rack stating that the clothes were completed orders and not for sale to people who hadn't placed the orders. It was most likely a marketing move, setting out samples for new customers to admire.

"Welcome!" a young boy with sienna-colored hair and sparkling blue eyes greeted them.

"Hi, Denzel," Aqua greeted with a grin, closing the door behind her.

"Aqua!" the boy exclaimed. "What brings you here?"

"Is Penelo here?" she asked.

"Is that Aqua I hear?" came a voice as a sandy blond-haired woman came down the stairs behind the counter carrying a young child. The mop of orange hair on the child's head and the pair of blue eyes that stared at Roxas hinted to the former Nobody that the child was someone important to the family. "Ah, it is!"

"It's been awhile since I've visited, huh?" giggled Aqua. "And how is my niece doing?" she greeted the young child, cooing at kid with warmth.

"Antie Awa!" cried the child happily, reaching out a hand to hold onto Aqua's own.

The blue-haired lady giggled at her niece's antics before turning to look at her sister-in-law. "But I'm not really here on a casual visit," she admitted.

"I assumed as much," Penelo replied with a knowing smile, her gray eyes landing on Roxas with interest. "Who is this?"

"Penelo, meet Ventus," Aqua introduced. "Ven, meet Penelo, your brother's wife."

Roxas stared at the sandy-blonde for a brief moment before responding. "Nice to meet you," he said, reaching out awkwardly for a handshake, only to retract the proffered hand upon realizing that the woman had her hands full.

"I prefer 'Roxas' though," he added sheepishly.

Penelo blinked deliberately at the teen with bewilderment. "Roxas?" she uttered questioningly. Then as if something clicked within her mind, she let out a meaningful "oh!"

"You're the Nobody of Prince Sora of Destiny Islands," she pointed out.

"He's king now," Roxas corrected.

"He is?" gasped the woman as she handed her child to Denzel, who immediately brought the kid back upstairs. "So young."

"His Majesty, King Noctis, died a few weeks ago," Aqua added.

"My condolences, I hope Destiny Islands is alright," the woman said as she pulled out her tailoring set. "How many sets of clothes are we looking at?" she asked, pulling out a measuring tape to hang around her shoulders.

"Probably a full week's set of shirts and pants. Just make them comfortable." Roxas's sister leaned against the counter to watch as Penelo gestured for the boy to stretch his arms out so she could make the proper measurements. "I'm going to take him to Adelbert's afterwards to get a few extra pairs of shoes."

"While you're there, can you tell Zidane to come pick up his suit? It's been sitting here for a week now," the tailor said with playful exasperation.

"I can't believe you actually let that boy order from you," said Aqua as she gaped incredulously at her sister-in-law.

"Vann brought him over," Penelo said. "I saw no reason to doubt the boy." She set the measuring tape down and pulled out a roll of white cloth, cutting off enough cloth to make one shirt at a time. "You know that he fancies Garnet?"

"Really now? Good for him."

"Well, I have the measurements," the gray-eyed woman said. "I'll have one set done by tonight. Care to join us for dinner?"

"I've got to tend to the Seventh Heaven tonight," Aqua replied apologetically. "Maybe you could send the clothes to the house with Denzel?"

"Terra will probably want to go home," Penelo said after she shook her head. "I'm sure he'll want to see his younger brother again."

Roxas looked away, trying hard not to blush as he listened to the conversation about him. The two women looked at him with smiles on their faces before giggling at his bashfulness.

"Where is Terra anyways?" Aqua asked as her laughter subsided.

"Either at the smithy or down at the docks. There's a shipment of silk that just came in from Northern Crater. He was also talking about the crate of Orichalcum that should be here now."

"Orichalcum?" both Aqua and Roxas blurted.

"No one's worked with Orichalcum in over a millennium," commented the blue-haired woman. "Did he get permission from the royal family?"

"That's what I said to Terra," replied Penelo as she resumed working on the shirts using a template. "But he said that he knows how to work with the material. I don't doubt him. But to answer your question, I think he did. I'm not entirely sure about the situation, but he said that the royal family was the one that placed the order for the Orichalcum and the one that asked him to make weapons from the shipment."

Aqua frowned at the insinuation, questions swirling through her mind.

"I don't think they know," said Roxas softly, answering his sister's unasked question. Aqua and Penelo both looked at him—one with skepticism, the other with bewilderment.

"What are you talking about?" Penelo asked, stopping in her work as she regarded her newfound brother-in-law.

"How can they not know if they were the ones who ordered the weapons from Terra?" murmured the blue-haired woman.

"_You_ know that our family is…?" Roxas asked with hidden surprise.

"We've suspected," she replied simply. "It was easy to go down this road when we're named after the original Three."

"What are you two talking about?" Penelo interjected exasperatedly, her hands bunched up in fists as she stood akimbo.

"You're married into a branch family of Twilight Town royalty," stated Aqua bluntly.

The sandy-blonde's expression would've been humorous to Aqua and even Roxas if it wasn't for the fact that the topic at hand was extremely serious and known only to a selected few beyond the actual family. Her eyes bugged out and her jaw dropped in shock.

"W-what?" she sputtered in disbelief.

"It's a long story," Aqua continued. "Just know that one of our ancestors was once a prince of Twilight Town."

"How do you know for sure?" Penelo asked incredulously, still staring at the blue-haired woman and the former Nobody as though daring them to retract their statements and tell her that they were joking.

"Uh…" uttered Aqua with a blush on her face. "We have no evidence and Mom and Dad have never told us. So…"

"We have evidence," Roxas said. He raised his right hand up, the open palm facing Penelo. With a flash of light and a whooshing sound, the Kingdom Key appeared in his hand. The Keyblade, though not as familiar to him as Oathkeeper and Oblivion, was oddly comforting in his hand. Silently, he raised his left hand and in a swirl of black, Oblivion appeared in his hand. He smiled at the feel of the Keyblades in his hands.

"What are those things!?" Penelo blurted, stepping away from Roxas in apprehension.

"Keyblades," answered Aqua, her eyes staying on the magnificent blades with fascination. "The chosen weapons for the original Three."

"And the Chasers," added Roxas, dismissing the Kingdom Key and Oblivion before summoning Oathkeeper.

"Oathkeeper and Oblivion have been in our family since our ancestor left Twilight Town," he continued, his eyes scanning over the Keyblade with expert eyes. "They were originally gifts from Terra the Eldest to his siblings in Destiny Islands and Radiant Garden." He handed the Oathkeeper Keyblade to Aqua, who tentatively accepted the weapon.

"Kingdom Key is the original magical Keyblade, made by all three of the original magical Keyblade wielders. Sora sent it away with me even though it's the chosen weapon of all Destiny Islands monarchs."

"Maybe it's because he'd rather stick with the Ultima Keyblade?" suggested Aqua.

"Maybe," murmured Roxas.

Penelo moaned, holding her head in mock despair. "This is too much," she said, sitting down on a stool behind the counter. "I wish Terra had told me this before we got married."

"And would it have mattered?" asked Aqua, the corners of her lips twitching upwards as she tried to hold back the giggle bubbling within.

"I guess not," Penelo moaned, earning a giggle from the blue-haired woman. She glared at her sister-in-law with a pout.

"Besides," Aqua continued to giggle, "Would you have believed him when he told you even without proof?"

"You're right," the tailor replied with a frown. "I probably wouldn't have. He's not the kind of guy who'll make some claim without evidence to back it up."

"Why don't you think the royal family knows about us?" Aqua finally asked once her giggles subsided. The seriousness of the matter returned to the room, the former amusement quickly dissipating.

"It's just a feeling," replied the boy.

"But, Keyblades are only used by those with the blood of the Three." She looked at the Keyblade in her hand with a frown. Even though it was only her first time holding the weapon, she felt as though she had been wielding it all her life.

"Chasers can use Keyblades too," he retorted. Yet, despite those words, Roxas felt as though he was just making excuses to deny the possibility that the royal family of Twilight Town have known that their family was their distant cousins all this time. Riku knew who he was and didn't question his ability to wield the Keyblade. Both Sora and Kairi must've wondered about it when Sora left that one day to talk to Lord Ansem and Lord Mickey in Radiant Garden; even though he hadn't actually asked them about it, Kairi's cryptic words were enough to prove that they had questions.

Aqua said nothing, merely offering Oathkeeper for Roxas to take it back, but the blond-haired teen shook his head.

"Keep it," he said. "Oathkeeper is for you."

Aqua's aquamarine eyes widened with surprise at her brother's words. She looked back down at Oathkeeper and jumped slightly when she dismissed the Keyblade in a flash of light, leaving behind the star-like charm for the Keyblade.

"You're going to have to teach me how to fight with it then," the blue-haired woman commented, looking at her brother with a smile on her face.

"Of course. You and Terra," smiled Roxas softly.

"You two should get going," said Penelo as she stood back up, eying her work with scrutiny. "Zidane wouldn't be there if you get there late."

Aqua laughed. "Everyone knows that Zidane is a stickler for leaving the shop on time! Good day, Penelo."

"Have a wonderful evening!" the sandy-blonde jested. "It was nice to finally meet you, Ven."

"You too, Penelo," replied Roxas happily. The two siblings then left the shop and continued their shopping.

* * *

After Kairi retrieved the Keyblade from Nibelheim, she opted to stay and help defend the kingdom from the invading armies under Xehanort's supreme command, even though the soldiers probably didn't know that their own commanders were being ordered around by an ancient being. She knew, just as the Chasers did, that if the capital of the once-Chaser civilization fell, the kingdoms of the Three would undoubtedly be next on Xehanort's target.

Radiant Garden would be attacked first, then Destiny Islands, and finally Twilight Town. When all three fell—highly unlikely but a possibility with the Heartless and their power-hungry but blind allies, this world as her denizens know her would cease to exist. The Chasers only know it too well.

Still, their intentions and powers were simply not enough to keep the dark tide at bay. After all, Chasers were still native denizens of their beloved world. While they were immortal, they alone cannot save Nibelheim, not with so many other things going on around the world: defenses must be mounted, villains must be tracked, and final preparations must be made to ensure that the world will be completely sealed off from the Heartless realm after the Chasers have gone.

There were far too few Chasers to deal with everything.

As such, only three Chasers were to be stationed regularly in Nibelheim while the rest continued to monitor the activities in Midgar, Bevelle, and of course, the End of the World.

The sounds of hammers pounding on nails, planks being sawed in half, voices shouting back and forth filled the air well into the evening and the wee hours of the morning. Reports of the invading army landing on the eastern shores of Gaia had the workers working on overdrive while the soldiers themselves continued their drills on a daily basis.

Flames crackled in large bonfires that dotted the castle courtyard. Men sharpened their swords uneasily while work continued around the village. Pikes were being installed, buildings fortified with more wood and stone. Food stores were being replenished within the castle in preparation of a siege. And caravans of civilians were being escorted deep into Mt. Nibel, where the ruins of the Chaser refinery served as the final stronghold against the invading army, protecting the families that will keep Nibelheim going even if her queen died.

Kairi stood on a balcony in Tifa's personal study overlooking Nibelheim. Night has fallen but still the workers worked on. Beside her, Naminé looked upon the hustle and bustle with narrowed eyes. Mingling with the workers, the soldiers, and the various commanders were the three Chasers: Sirocco, Pan, and Arashi.

The red-haired princess of Radiant Garden took a glance as her Nobody, whose posture was stiff. She chuckled lightly at the blond-haired girl's response to the chaos.

"You don't approve of what they're doing?" she teased. Naminé jumped a bit at her mistress's sudden comment, having been excessively absorbed in her analysis of the battle preparations. Her pale face tinted with pink upon seeing the knowing smile on Kairi's face.

"You truly are a perfectionist, Naminé," the princess added with a light laugh.

"I can't help it," replied the Nobody. "The artist in me wants to blot out all the people down there. Nibelheim is such a picturesque place, almost like a fairy tale castle."

"This is your first time in Nibelheim isn't it, Naminé?" asked Kairi. The Nobody nodded.

"If you think this is straight out of a fairy tale," said a new voice. Both Kairi and Naminé turned to face the newcomer—honey blonde hair bound in a braid, framing a heart shaped face with amused green eyes. "Then Macalania would surely make your head spin."

"Aeris!" exclaimed Naminé eagerly, dashing over to hug her surrogate sister at The World That Never Was.

"It's good to see you again, Naminé," laughed the older Nobody. "My, you've grown a lot."

"And still growing," replied the blond-haired teen easily.

Kairi looked upon the pair of Nobodies with mixed feelings. On one hand, she felt happy that Naminé's found some semblance of happiness in a family-like reunion. Yet on the other hand, she knew that her Nobody would never be able to reunite with her true family in Bevelle, who died in the great fire that burned through three-quarters of the greater Bevelle. She didn't know if Naminé knew her family was dead and she didn't wish to tell her.

"When did you get here?" Naminé asked, her eyes scanning over Aeris's features with sharp eyes.

"Just a few minutes ago," the woman replied. "I'm surprised you didn't see the Macalanian army following the royal carriage."

"She's been glaring at the chaotic mess down there this entire time," joined Kairi.

"Still the artist, huh?" teased Aeris.

"Of course," grinned Naminé.

"Oh good, I had hoped that this meeting might serve you well," Queen Aerith of Macalania said as she entered the room with Tifa. Her own Nobody blushed at the comment, her entire posture stiffening as she was caught off duty.

The Macalanian queen sighed at the Nobody's abrupt change in behavior, twisting a long bang around her finger exasperatedly. "Honestly, Eri," she huffed with displeasure, "why must you behave that way when I'm around? Look at Naminé, she's completely at ease with her mistress and I'll bet she's just as aware of her surrounding as you are."

"You know as well as I do why I'm like this," the Nobody replied tersely.

"Yes, yes," Aerith said flippantly, waving her hand with a dismissive air. "It's so you can overprotect me."

The younger Nobody couldn't help but bring a hand to cover her mouth as she tried to stifle a giggle. Aeris glared at the girl despite the embarrassment on her cheeks while Kairi shook her head at her own Nobody with mild disapproval.

"Naminé," she scolded softly. "Manners."

"My apologies, your Majesty," the girl immediately curtsied. "It wasn't my intentions to laugh at your Nobody."

"No worries," smiled Aerith. "I welcome your laughter. Maybe it'll change Eri for the better."

"Your Majesty…" the Nobody bemoaned pleadingly, only to have her mistress giggling softly at Aeris's expense.

"Naminé," began Tifa with an equally amused smile on her face. "Can you take Eri to the room next to your mistress's and get Eri straightened out?"

The younger Nobody looked at the queen of Nibelheim with slight confusion until she realized the unspoken request. She nodded with a smile.

"Of course, your Majesty. Come on, Aeris," she said with a grin, pulling the older Nobody along behind her.

The three members of their respective royal families watched the two Nobodies leave the room before Kairi spoke up.

"Has Eri always been like that?" she asked with a frown. While she doubted that Naminé would ever act like how Aeris was behaving, the red-haired princess couldn't help but be worried that her Nobody would change, becoming like the Nobody of the Macalania queen.

Aerith chuckled lightly. "She was worse than this when she first came to me. I was about your age when she arrived in Macalania some six years ago. I don't think that woman ever left my side." She laughed some more at the memories. Tifa giggled at the memories as well.

"You had practically no privacy with her back then," the black-haired woman added. Aerith nodded. Kairi's eyes widened with shock at the information.

"That must've been terrible! I can't imagine not having any privacy even if Naminé is really close to me now," she murmured with displeasure.

"That first year was most trying for Aerith," continued Tifa. "I think it was the first time I've seen you blow up like that."

The queen of Macalania pouted childishly, balling her hands into fists and placing them on her hips. "Well, it's not my fault I was rather temperamental back then."

Tifa giggled, "Yeah, a far cry from the saint that you are now."

Aerith blushed. "That's just exaggeration," she murmured with embarrassment. "In any case, she got better after that first year. But…"

"But?" questioned Kairi with a raised eyebrow.

"I think she's acting like that now because I met Zack. I think she's jealous that Zack's taken up most of my free time and attention."

"You might be right about that," commented Tifa.

"Where is Zack anyways?" asked Kairi as the trio sat down on the upholstered chairs near the roaring fireplace.

"With Cloud and the Chasers," the black-haired queen answered. "He's consulting with them to figure out where to place the soldiers."

"How many troops did you bring?"

"Five hundred men on horses, fifteen hundred on foot," answered Aerith. "I've also brought three battalions of battle healers."

Both Kairi and Tifa's eyes lit up upon hearing that news. "Their assistance would be wonderful," Tifa said.

"Have you found out the numbers of the Bevelle-Midgar army?" asked Aerith with a frown.

Tifa shook her head. "There have been varying reports from ten thousand to a hundred thousand," she said grimly.

"How can it be this difficult to determine the numbers?" asked Kairi with a frown—this was the first time she's given knowledge of the size of their enemy after all.

"The troops aren't traveling as one," explained Tifa. "That and with Xehanort at the helm, it is likely that the Heartless are traveling amongst the troops as well, even though the soldiers might not realize it."

"Heartless disguised as humans isn't unheard of, even though the only time it's occurred was during the Keyblade War," added Aerith. "It's mainly because of this that splintered the kingdoms during that great war against the Heartless."

"How can we fight against that?" wondered Kairi aloud. "How can we possibly distinguish Heartless from actual people?"

"We can't," said Arashi as she entered the room. "We can only take the stance that every single one of our enemies are Heartless. It's not ideal, but any person who spends a lot of time amongst the Heartless without fighting them will be affected by the darkness."

"Would they become Heartless?" asked Aerith with a frown.

Lady Arashi nodded quietly.

"Arashi, can you take me back to Destiny Islands?" asked Kairi softly, her hands fidgeting with the Lily of the Valley Keyblade charm in her lap. She looked up with worried eyes. "I'm worried about the others."

"What about Naminé?" the Chaser asked. "Are you leaving her here?'

"I just want to visit Sora to make sure that he's alright," the red-haired girl explained. "He hadn't been himself when I left with Rocky."

"All right," said Arashi with a nod. "We'll leave right now and come back within an hour or two. I doubt either one of you two will be able to sleep well tonight."

Tifa smiled. "We'll try our best to get some rest, grandmama."

The immortal grandmother of the queen smiled at the two queens before holding her hand out for Kairi to take. The much younger girl smiled gratefully and took the hand just as the pillar of light surrounded them and took them to their destination.

* * *

While preparations for the defense of Nibelheim continued under the eyes of the Chasers and the royal families of Nibelheim and her nearby allies, Destiny Islands was even busier than ever.

Sora consulted with his own mother multiple times throughout the days to fortify Destiny Islands while Coral and Riku journeyed to Midgar and Revenant Wings secretly to find their imprisoned friends and keep an eye on Marlene in their respective kingdoms.

Though Riku had suggested that they bring Marlene back to Destiny Islands with them on several occasions, Coral disagreed. If they had done so, she reasoned, then Xehanort would undoubtedly be alerted to the sudden attention the Chasers were giving Revenant Wings. He would discover that the charm is in Marlene's possession and consequently kill innocent bystanders trying to get to the charm. No, she didn't dare risk it. Keeping Xehanort from knowing who holds the charm was the best way.

Although Sora knew that it was imperative that they leave to get Roxas once the Nobody arrived in Twilight Town, the recently crowned king simply didn't have the heart to separate the blond-haired teen from his family so soon after his arrival—especially since they had been separated for almost fourteen years.

Coral disagreed with him. She felt that Roxas's safety was more important than his feelings in his reunion. Nevertheless, she understood Sora's reasoning. Besides, she knew exactly how it felt to be reunited with one's family after years of separation; once she was discovered to have Chaser abilities, she left her family at a young age and didn't visit them again until prior to the greatest battle fought under the Three's command.

It was perhaps this knowledge that held her back from pursuing the logical course of action.

All they hoped was that Xehanort did not discover the location of Ventus's charm or that of Roxas.

Sora had just entered Coral's room with all intentions to seek Coral's advice regarding the fortifications of Destiny Islands when the said Chaser teleported into the room along with Riku. His eyes widened with surprise at the sudden appearance and he wondered what had happened, especially when he noticed the ashy looks upon the faces of both the Chaser and his best friend.

"What happened?" he asked immediately, eyes hardened in scrutiny. Neither Coral nor Riku responded at first. The green-haired girl appeared to be distraught while the grayish-blue-haired teen had set his lips in a thin line, his eyes held a distant look within.

"How did we not see this before?" Coral whispered painfully. Her cheeks were stained with wetness, but the tears appeared to have stopped falling for awhile.

"What? What's going on?" Sora asked even more urgently. Riku finally looked at Sora with pain-filled sky-blue eyes, visions of death reflecting within those pools. The newly crowned king of Destiny Islands stiffened upon seeing them, dread washing over him like cold shower.

"Revenant Wings is destroyed," he said with grief. Sora stared at Riku, stunned by the information. His entire body suddenly felt like cold lead but he remained strong.

"The castle's gone, destroyed by a horde of Heartless that Xehanort summoned. Demyx is safe, but…" Coral whispered; her voice caught in her throat as her heart anguished over the terrible news.

"Xehanort got to Marlene and Barret first," concluded Riku, a shudder that he's never felt before passed through his entire body.

"No…" whispered Sora.

"The man was especially violent in killing them," continued Coral, her glassy eyes stared into the distance as though she was remembering the exact time when they died. "There wasn't much left of the two by the time we got there."

"Then how did you-" the brown-haired teen began.

"Demyx saw the entire thing. He told us. That's how we knew." She closed her eyes tightly, holding back the tears that were threatening to fall again.

"So he has the charm…" breathed Sora, his mind a jumble after receiving the news. Suddenly, he shook away the despondence he felt, realizing that there was something else to be done.

"Then we have to get to Roxas first!" he exclaimed, eyes wild with alarm. "He's in Twilight Town now!"

Both Coral and Riku's eyes lit up with revelation. They looked up at the still-standing Sora and realized that Ventus's descendant was correct in this regard.

Another pillar of light appeared in the room, catching the three's attention. Before the light faded, Kairi jumped out and hugged Sora, breathing a sigh of relief upon seeing her friend all fine.

"You're all right!" she exclaimed happily.  
"K-Kairi?" uttered Sora with surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I was worried about you!" she said, pulling away from Sora with a smile. "What's wrong?" she immediately asked when she saw the sadness within Sora's blue eyes.

"Marlene's dead," said Riku with a grimace. Kairi looked at her other friend with concern.

"Revenant Wings?" asked Arashi grimly.

"Gone," answered Coral.

"Roxas?"

"We're going to Twilight Town now," said Sora firmly. "We can't risk Xehanort finding him."

"And will you take the necessary steps to ensure Roxas's safety?" she furthered coolly, her eyes landing upon her colleague with disapproval of the way she had handled this entire situation. "I know you meant the best, but we're in a war right now, Coral."

"Isn't it enough to have an innocent's death on her mind?" Riku challenged, looking at the Chaser who had never stayed away from the mortal scene with her as Tifa's grandmother.

Arashi sighed. "I'm sure Mickey would've done the same thing that you had, Coral," the black-haired woman who looked more like Tifa that she would ever admit. "But we cannot afford to let Xehanort bring Ventus back."

"And why is that?" asked Kairi with curiosity.

"We don't know how fragile Ventus's mind would be if he returns. We don't even know if Roxas will be Roxas once this entire war ends. Remember that Ventus's consciousness has been trapped in solitude for the past hundreds of years."

"Then we have no time to waste," Riku said, his face stony with determination. "If what you said is true, then we have to get to Roxas right now."

"I'll take Kairi back to Nibelheim right now and inform Mickey of the situation. Someone will meet you in Twilight Town to back you up."

Coral nodded in agreement.

"Be safe, Kairi," said Sora, hugging his friend once again.

"You too," replied the red-haired princess with a determined smile upon her face. "Don't break the promise we made as kids, now."

"Huh?" Sora blinked deliberately.

"Bad memory, Sora?" grinned Riku.

"The one where we said we would all grow old together!" Kairi laughed.

"Oh," blushed the king of Destiny Islands.

"Maybe we'll see you in Nibelheim after you get Roxas back," she continued.

"Unlikely," commented Coral. "If Xehanort is interested in Nibelheim's downfall, then we cannot risk to bring Roxas with us to Nibelheim."

"Then we shall see you after the battle," said Arashi with finality. The others nodded in agreement.

Without another exchange of words, Arashi and Kairi disappeared in yet another pillar of light.

Sora looked at the spot where Kairi disappeared with sad eyes. A feeling of dread coursed through his veins, yet he didn't know why.

"Sora?" Riku asked, one eye narrowed in scrutiny. "What's wrong?"

"I have a feeling that I won't see them again," the teen answered softly.

"They'll be fine," reassured Coral with a grin. "One's a Chaser; one's the descendant of Aqua. They're strong."

The brown-haired teen nodded, though the feeling remained.

"Now, let's go get Roxas before Xehanort finds him," comforted Coral. The others agreed and took the Chaser's outstretched hands, teleporting from Destiny Islands straight to the Twilight Town Station of Serenity.

* * *

Time passed by in a whirlwind for Roxas, who stood in the kitchen of the family home helping his mother preparing a small feast for ten. Besides the family of four that lived there, Terra, Penelo, and their daughter Relm were finally visiting them along with Penelo's brother Vann, her sister Maria, and their mother Edea, who owned the smithy that Terra was working at.

The weather in Twilight Town had warmed up despite it being winter. While it was still cool, it wasn't as chilly as it had been when Roxas first arrived in Twilight Town. It was warm enough that they didn't need to fuel the furnaces within the rooms to keep the house heated. It was, as Luneth had said, perfect for an outdoor gathering.

"It's been awhile since we had Penelo's family over," smiled Refia as she peeled a potato.

"It's not often we get a chance to have time to gather," commented Aqua, cutting the vegetables her mother had peeled and cleaned into large pieces for a country stew.

While his mother and sister worked on the stew, Roxas was busy kneading the bread dough to make flatbread. Within the wood-burning oven, two loaves of soda bread were already baking.

His father entered the kitchen, wiping off the sweat with the back of his hand blackened by charcoals. Refia snickered at the black that was smeared across her husband's forehead.

"The pit's ready," he said. "Where are those kids with the pig?"

"Here," grunted Vann as he and Terra carried a salt-covered pig tied up with seasoning stuffed in the middle into the backyard. "And we're not kids!"

"To me you both still are," hollered Luneth with a boisterous laugh. He grabbed the large clay pot that held the glaze for the pig and stepped out to help the two younger men with the rotisserie.

Roxas slapped the dough onto the floured board with expert precision, grabbing the knife to cut the dough into smaller portions before he shaped the dough into flatbread forms. He quickly got through with the dough and washed his hands.

"Go help your dad and brothers, Ventus," said Refia as she finished peeling the vegetables. "Edea and her daughters should be here soon."

"Okay," replied Roxas with a nod. He stepped out of the warm kitchen and breathed in the fresh sea breeze. The roasting pit crackled with a mixture of charcoal and firewood with Paopu tree bark that was prized by roasters all over the world due to its unique property that only a small piece was enough to impart flavor to the meat.

Terra was kneeling on the ground where a cloth was spread out to allow for final preparations before the suckling pig went on the rotisserie. Vann, who was Penelo's fraternal twin, worked on spreading the burning wood and coals evenly within the pit. His own father was dusting the salt cover off of the pig, keeping just enough on to keep the food slightly salted.

"Hiya, shortie," Vann greeted upon seeing the teen.

"I'm not that short," retorted Roxas. The former Nobody discovered that upon meeting Penelo's brother that same day he met Penelo, the older twin was the direct opposite of his younger twin. While Penelo was practical and caring, Vann was the joker, eager to get out of work but always manages to get done whatever he has to do.

"Ven, help me with this," said Terra, cutting a cord that was tied around the pig. A wooden bowl was set on the cloth next to the pig, most likely for the stuffed seasoning within.

A pungent aroma of fruits and spices wafted up once the pig was untied. The two brothers made quick work of removing the seasoning before stepping back to allow their father to brush on the glaze around the pig. They secured the pig onto the rotisserie rod over the pit and left their father roasting while they cleaned up.

A series of sharp knocks on the front door echoed into the kitchen just as the three men entered from outside.

"Must be Edea and the girls," commented Refia.

"I got it," said Terra, wiping his hands on a towel. Vann swiped a cookie that was sitting on the counter near the window, only to be scolded by Aqua. Roxas snorted at the pair before continuing washing the dishes that were piling up in the sink.

"Ven!" came Terra's voice from the foyer.

"Must not be Mum and Sis then," commented Vann after swallowing down the mouthful of the sugary baked good.

"I wonder who it could be then," wondered Refia aloud as she quickly followed her youngest son out of the kitchen.

Roxas stopped abruptly in the foyer upon seeing the figures that passed through the front door. His eyes landed upon the familiar brown mop of hair with shock.

"Who-?" began Refia until she saw the figures that had entered. She quickly stepped around her son and dropped into a low curtsey.

"Welcome to our humble home, your Highnesses," she greeted.

"There is no need for such solemn formalities, Refia," replied Riku with a grin. "We are in your own home." He helped the woman who acted like his second mother when Stella was still alive up. Unfortunately, ever since his surrogate sister's death, he had begun training with the Keyblade vigorously, anger directed at himself for not protecting Stella even though he had the means to with the Way to the Dawn. They had thus separated.

"Have you come to take him away?" Aqua's voice asked softly. Everyone in the room besides Roxas and Sora looked at the worried blue-haired woman. Refia frowned at her daughter's question while Terra said nothing. Both Coral and Riku looked at Sora, who remained speechless as he stared at Roxas, who returned his gaze with the hurt from Sora's rash decisions.

"Not right now," Coral decided to answer with a soft smile, hoping to assuage the woman's fears.

The King of Destiny Islands and his Nobody remained silent.

"Would you and your friend like to join us for dinner, your Highness?" the woman of the house asked, silently suggesting that they leave the pair alone to sort things out.

Riku looked at Coral, uncertain what the Chaser wished to do.

"We would love to," the Chaser smiled. Refia smiled happily and ushered Aqua out of the room, gesturing for Terra to close the door and follow her back as she led the prince of Twilight Town and the Chaser to the backyard.

Silence continued to draw on between the two teens. Sora's original plan to mend things between himself and Roxas flew out the window the moment he laid his eyes upon the teen, guilt eating away the courage and resolve.

"How are you, Roxas?" Sora broke the silence softly after a long while. Turbulent emotions coursed through his veins unchecked, threatening to swallow him in a torrent of tears and guilt.

"My name is Ventus," Roxas answered crisply. "Roxas the Nobody left when I returned to my family."

Sora winced at the coldness in Roxas's words. His heart also beat faster with fear, as though he anticipated the actual Ventus had been returned.

"I'm sorry for what I did," the king said thickly, regret for his actions brought tears to his eyes. Part of him wondered if he had truly lost his Nobody.

"Why are you here, Sora?" the Nobody asked, biting back a sigh of melancholy that built up in the back of his throat.

"To protect you from Xehanort," whispered the brown-haired teen.

Roxas blinked at Sora deliberately. The feeling of hurt and betrayal lessened slightly as he looked upon the Somebody. "What?" he practically quacked. "Why would Xehanort be interested in me?"

"Because you are the reincarnation of Ventus the Youngest," answered Sora with all seriousness.

The blonde shook his head slowly in disbelief. "I don't believe you."

"It's true," Sora said firmly. "And Marlene is dead because of it."

"Impossible," Roxas breathed out. "There's no reason why Marlene would be-" His voice caught in his throat as he remembered the time when he had given Marlene the shuriken-like charm that was his father's.

The haunting images of the nightmare returned, passing across his unseeing eyes in rapid succession. His pupils constricted as the blood drained from his face. His legs collapsed under him, sending him plopping down onto the ground. "No…" he mouthed. Tears sprang to his eyes as his breathing quickened.

"Roxas," the king whispered his name softly, wrapping his arms about the distraught teen in an effort to assuage him. "It's okay to cry."

The former Nobody made no indications that he recognized Sora's presence beside him. He simply sat on the ground like a puppet without its strings, the tears falling down from his crystalline blue eyes unchecked. Even as Sora pulled him closer, the catatonic Roxas simply stared into the distance, not even seeing the simple foyer that he was in, but rather the bleak darkness that surrounded him and the dead brown eyes that stared back at him, cold and soulless.

* * *

Coral sat at the picnic table that Roxas's family had set up earlier fidgeting with the checkered tablecloth. She watched silently as Riku conversed easily with the women in the kitchen, getting out of the way as three others came through the side gate and into the backyard. A pang in her heart made her wince slightly as she remembered her own family.

Her gray eyes turned towards the three men that stood around the roasting pit, focusing on the red-haired man that was currently crouched down with a poker in one hand. The familiar face brought forth memories of her distant past, her adventures with the rest of the Chasers and the great battles that she fought under the direction of Terra the Eldest.

"I hope you're not bored," Roxas's sister said almost hesitantly, placing a covered dish down on the table. The Chaser looked up at the blue-haired woman and found herself staring not at the Aqua who lived, but the Aqua of yore, wearing a tiara with the symbol of Radiant Garden in the center and the white steel light armor that protected her body. A blue cloak draped across her shoulders and down her back, floating behind her with the breeze.

"Are you okay?" Aqua asked with concern. Her blue eyes watched the strange girl with interest and confusion; the mysterious air that the girl carried was unlike anything she's ever felt from a person.

As quickly as the nostalgic sight came, it passed away. And within a blink, Coral saw the living Aqua rather than the dead one whom she called sister.

"I'm all right," the Chaser answered with a smile, but neither one was fooled by the weak expression. In particular, Aqua remained skeptical of the girl's words. Her skepticism was founded when the smile quickly froze as Coral's eyes caught something. The aura that surrounded this Aqua was so familiar yet strangely faint. She quickly turned to look at Terra, narrowing her eyes in suspicion and found the same thing.

"You possess a Keyblade," Coral commented bluntly. "And so does your brother."

Aqua stiffened at her words, her face blanched with fear. She thought that they had taken every precaution to keep the Keyblades a secret around Twilight Town for her family. They practiced on one of the many terraces of Sunset Hill where no one ever frequented due to the overgrown plants that surrounded the places, blocking the magnificent view of Twilight Town Proper. They even made sure that when they were practicing, only a few people would even be out. Were they not cautious enough?

"How?" she blurted out before changing her words, "Who are you?"

"I am a Chaser," explained Coral with a grin. Aqua stared at the girl with wide eyes.

"A-a Chaser?" she sputtered.

The girl nodded. "I was there along with your ancestors. I know how to forge Keyblades."

The stunned blue-haired woman tentatively took a seat next to the Chaser. "So you know about the Keyblades," she said quietly.

"Yes," smiled Coral. "Both you and your brother had just recently taken possession of your own Keyblades."

"How do you know?" frowned Aqua.

"Any magical Keyblade wielder has an aura about them that chases away the shadows. In a sense, the Three and their descendants are another type of Chasers."

"I see."

A brief moment of silence fell between the two as faint laughter and the sound of fires crackling filled the space. Aqua opened her mouth to ask a question, but closed it when the question sounded stupid in her mind. Finally, she mustered up the courage to ask a question that did not involve the Keyblades.

"Are you going to take Ventus away from us?" she asked, attempting not to shirk away when the Chaser sharply turned to look at her with a frown on her face.

"Is that his real name?" Coral asked.

"Huh?"

"Ventus."

"Oh," Aqua said. "That's what my parents named him when he was born."

"Then you're Aqua and your brother's Terra?" continued Coral, her brows furrowed in thought.

The blue-haired woman simply nodded silently.

Coral let out a sigh. "I won't lie to you. We will have to take Roxas away if necessary. He has to be safe."

"Why? Why do you _have_ to?"

"I don't know how much Roxas has told you about the upcoming war, but he plays an integral part on our side. I think you and your brother will too."

"That still doesn't make sense," frowned Aqua. "He can use the Keyblade; he's perfectly capable of protecting himself."

"Not against Xehanort," murmured Coral, interrupting the start of Aqua's near-rant. "I can't tell you more than I've already have. Just know this. Roxas's role in this war had been set since my time, even though we didn't know of it. If Xehanort finds him, he would not hesitate to kill you and your family just to get to your brother."

Aqua gulped with trepidation. "I see," she whispered.

"That is why we will have to bring him back to Destiny Islands with us," Coral continued with a softer tone of voice. "But ultimately, it would be his decision."

"Does he know why?"

"Only if Sora's told him."

Roxas's sister lowered her eyes in sadness and confusion. She didn't like Coral's cryptic words, but in her heart, she knew that greater forces were at work here and her family was caught right in the middle.

"Would we see him again?" she asked so softly that Coral almost didn't hear the woman's question.

"If all goes well, of course," smiled Coral. "Have faith in the Chasers and in the descendants of the Three. You guys are the beacons of light against the coming darkness. You are not alone in the war."

Laughter approached them as Riku helped the women in the kitchen with carrying more dishes over to the table. Coral was amazed by how at ease the silver-haired teen was with this family and vice versa. There was no archaic decorum observed here, no difference in status—just a casual gathering of family and friends.

"I hope you don't mind a rustic meal," smiled Refia as she set down a dish of pasta tossed in a simple tomato sauce.

"It's been awhile since I've had such a meal," the Chaser replied. "Thank you for having us."

"It's our honor," the old woman gave a slight bow toward the Chaser, even though she didn't know who exactly the girl was.

The rest of the family started to get settled in at the table while the men that surrounded the pit continued to work on the pig. Coral looked back at the house and saw no signs of Sora and Roxas. A frown marred her features with thought.

"I'll go check on Sora and Roxas," she whispered to Riku as she passed by him. The prince of Twilight Town nodded in understanding.

The green-haired girl made her way back into the kitchen where a pungent mixture of aromas from the foods that were cooked surrounded her. Her stomach growled softly at the thought of food, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since the day before she and Riku had discovered Xehanort's sudden appearance in Revenant Wings, causing the kingdom's destruction. She set aside the thoughts of hunger and continued to backtrack her way to the foyer.

The sight of the two boys sitting on the ground was heartbreaking. Dried tears stained Roxas's pink-tinted cheeks, evidence that the former Nobody had been informed of Marlene's death. Though she sympathized with the boy's loss, having heard from Sora that Marlene was the one who began Roxas's path back to humanity, Coral knew they had to steel themselves and let the deaths be a reminder of the things to come should they fail to defend this world from Xehanort. That was the ugly truth that Arashi had to hammer into Coral during the last war.

"Dinner's ready," Coral said softly as she entered the foyer. She looked down at Roxas, who stared without seeing. Sora looked up, but said nothing, looking back down and rocking the unresponsive boy. The Chaser crouched down and turned Roxas's face to look at her with both hands.

"Roxas, look at me," she said firmly, watching the teen's eyes closely. "Roxas."

The eyes landed upon the Chaser, the dull blue remaining in place, not acknowledging either one who surrounded him.

"Roxas," Coral tried again. "You can't let Marlene's death be in vain." The eyes shimmered in recognition of Marlene's name.

"Though she is dead, you cannot let Xehanort win. No one could've foreseen that man's actions and attack Revenant Wings. Remember that she lived in happiness. She wouldn't want you to be sad for her. She'll want you to continue live happily and be human."

Roxas blinked slowly, letting her words sink in. He knew she was right; he couldn't let Xehanort win this emotional fight, even though he wasn't certain that man even knew of him beyond the fact that he was somehow the reincarnation of Ventus the Youngest.

The glassiness within his eyes faded away and he looked up sadly at Coral, letting the emotions show in a kaleidoscope of blue and green. He tried to smile gratefully at the Chaser, but he couldn't bring himself to smile, not with Marlene's death still weighing heavily within his heart.

Coral understood, however, and moved her hands away from the teen's face, letting Roxas to pull away from his Somebody to wipe away the traces of tears upon his cheeks.

"Thank you," he whispered softly in a slightly raspy voice.

"I'm sorry for keeping you all in the dark about Roxas's place as a descendant of the Three. I'm sorry that hiding this probably had caused Marlene to die unnecessarily," the Chaser said apologetically.

"I'm not sure it's entirely the Chasers' fault that this happened," murmured the Nobody. "I'm not sure it could've been prevented."

"We will have to take you from your family," commented Sora unhappily.

"This isn't my only family," replied Roxas cryptically. The king of Destiny Islands narrowed his eyes slightly in thought. "But…" he trailed off as both Coral and Sora looked at him expectantly. "Can I at least get my siblings settled?"

"Wha?" uttered the brown-haired teen with confusion. Coral, on the other hand, understood the teen's meaning.

"We'll bring Terra and Aqua to the royal residence tomorrow," she said with a smile. "We'll get them straightened away. Tonight, I'll stay over."

Roxas blushed. "I'm not a kid."

"We still are, Roxas," laughed Sora.

"Come on, let's go have dinner before everything gets cold," grinned the Chaser. "I, for one, am starving!" She waved her arms above her head dramatically.

While Sora laughed at the Chaser, Roxas only smiled with amusement—the darkness lingered within his eyes.

* * *

Dinner went by swiftly and smoothly. The atmosphere was mostly light though Roxas could see the worried feeling reflecting within Aqua's eyes every time he asked her to pass a dish. Still, for the sake of his aging parents, his yet-to-be-completely-reconciled Somebody, and those who aren't involved in this war, Roxas pretended that nothing was wrong.

The thought of Marlene never strayed far from his mind though.

As Coral had said, she asked to stay for the evening, taking up the spare cot in the unused study across from Roxas's room, while Sora and Riku returned to the royal residence of Twilight Town. Terra had stayed at the request of the Chaser for a private conference.

Coral took Terra and Aqua with her immediately after the two royalties left. Though Roxas was excluded from the conversation between the Chaser and his siblings, he knew what the green-haired immortal would tell Terra and Aqua. Yet, the blonde didn't dare to return to his room waiting for the three to get done with their conversation. He didn't dare to fall into an emotional sea of melancholy when he didn't want to worry people enough as it was.

To keep himself from wallowing in grief, he helped his parents clean up, wrapping up the leftovers for another meal.

"Ven," said his father at one point in time during that night. "Who is that girl that's with Prince Riku? She doesn't act like nobility."

"Her name is Coral," answered Roxas plainly, continuing with his work while debating whether to continue with the explanation.

"Coral, huh? She's not from around here, that's for sure."

"That's because she's a Chaser," the boy ended. Luneth stopped what he was doing, his eyes wide like saucers.

"A Chaser?"

"Someone who can forge Keyblades."

"Who can forge Keyblades?" asked Refia as she reentered the room with the salad bowl.

"Coral, the green-haired girl who was with Prince Riku and Sora," replied Roxas.

"But…" started his mother with hesitation, "how can that be? Isn't everyone who knows how to forge Keyblades all dead?"

Roxas shook his head. "No. The Chasers who survived that Keyblade War are immortal. They have been living for the past thousand years secretly guarding the magical Keyblades."

"There must be a war brewing then," said Luneth with a frown. "I thought as much."

"Wutai had been attacked over a month ago," continued the blonde-haired boy. "Revenant Wings had been destroyed just within the last week and I've heard that Xehanort's going to attack Nibelheim."

"To prevent more Keyblades from being forged perhaps," reasoned his father.

"But why is she staying with us?" asked Refia.

"Because we have Keyblades with us as well," answered Luneth. "Aqua and Terra both have the ability to wield Keyblades and Coral's probably figured that out from Ven."

"But so do Prince Riku and King Sora," she argued.

"It's because of me," interjected Roxas, stopping his parents' argument before it got any further. "She's here to protect me, because of what might come to pass if Xehanort found me."

"What is it that would warrant such protection from the Chasers?" frowned his white-haired father.

"I can't tell you," murmured Roxas. "I don't want you to get caught in this as much as you have. If Xehanort finds you before he finds me, I can't bear to lose you both." He looked up at his parents with worried eyes.

"It wouldn't matter," came Coral's voice as she entered the room. Her face looks unnaturally ragged since dinner time. She smiled weakly at Roxas's concerned look upon her frailty.

"Are you all right?" asked Refia worriedly, leaving the dish she had been working on to help the Chaser.

"I'm fine. Just an old wound acting up," she smiled. Roxas narrowed his eyes at her statement. She thanked Refia as she sat down at the small table in the kitchen near the hearth and breathed a sigh of relief. "As long as Xehanort figures out that you are related, he wouldn't hesitate to kill you both just to get to Roxas."

"Is there no way to keep them safe?" asked the teen with trepidation.

"I don't know," frowned Coral, her eyes downcast.

"We can stay at the castle," suggested Refia worriedly. "Surely that man wouldn't reach us there."

"The king and queen of Twilight Town would not allow Terra the Eldest's kingdom come to ruins," added Luneth seriously.

"That might work," commented the green-haired girl, though she sounded rather unsure of herself.

"Why exactly is this," Refia began in a disconcerted tone of voice, waving her hands about helplessly, "Xehanort targeting our son?"

"It's not just Roxas he'll be targeting," answered Coral. "It's also Terra and Aqua simply due to the fact that they resemble the original Three greatly. Surely you have named them such because of this. Let's just say that it's no mere coincidence that your sons and daughter look so much alike the Three.

"Regardless, Xehanort's main target _is_ Roxas because of the fact that Ventus the Youngest had never truly died."

Both Luneth and Refia stiffened at the news.

"What will happen to our son if Ventus comes back then?" asked the woman as she instinctively moved over to her youngest son, wrapping her arms around him in a protective gesture.

"We don't know," admitted Coral sadly. "There is a chance that if Ventus the Youngest dies, Roxas might inextricably go with him."

"That won't happen," said the blonde vehemently. "There's too much for me to do in this world. Even if Ventus does come back, I won't let myself be controlled by him." His eyes narrowed in determination, staring into Coral's eyes confidently.

The Chaser nodded with understanding, though she had her doubts about Roxas's actual capabilities of separating himself from Ventus if Xehanort did succeed.

"In any case," the girl said, biting back a sigh of mild irritation. "We should all get some sleep. We've got a long day tomorrow." The others simply nodded silently.

"Especially you, Roxas," she eyed the former Nobody with wariness in her eyes, as though she knew that the teen might not try his best to sleep.

"I know," replied the teen obediently. He didn't feel like antagonizing the Chaser, knowing that she had a more comprehensive idea about this entire him being Ventus the Youngest's reincarnation. "I'll just finish cleaning here and head up."

"All right," replied Coral with a simple nod. "Good night."

"Good night, Miss Coral," said Luneth. The Chaser was too tired to correct the man's words, opting to return to the guest room before she collapsed from exhaustion.

"You should go sleep as well, Ven," said Refia. "Your father and I need to talk. We'll get the rest of the clean up."

Roxas looked up at his mother and back down at the task in front of him with indecision. Yet, respecting his parents' privacy, he nodded quietly, washed his hands, said "good night", and returned to his room.

Yet, sleep would elude him like the peace that he had felt for the past two weeks since he reunited with his family, but no longer.

Roxas lied on his bed for long silent moments, tossing and turning every once in a while as he closed his eyes trying to grasp the tendrils of sleep that kept slipping through his fingers like sand. He breathed out a sigh and eyed the clock hung over the door illuminated by the dimmed orange light from the perpetual sunset.

It was 1 AM. Two hours had passed him by already and yet his mind refused to settle down. He snorted sardonically, reminding himself that regardless of Coral's words, he could not let go of the memories and the guilt in causing Marlene's death. He had thought he would've prevented disaster by abandoning his Nobody training, but instead of a happily ever after, he found tragedy.

With a sigh, he sat up, running his hands through his blonde locks in frustration. He drew open the curtains and unlatched the window, letting the orange sunset light up the room in a deeper shade of orange, almost red.

He stared at the sun until his eyes watered from the glare, averting his eyes to wipe the salty tears away. Without another word, he left the room silently, not stirring the rest of the house even as he opened and closed the door with its rusty joints. He walked up the stairs to the attic, and climbed out of the attic window to the shingled rooftop. There, he lied down against the ceramic shingles and looked to the sky, wondering for the first time why the dimmed stars that had seemed so boring before suddenly interested him.

"You know," came a gentle voice as Aqua climbed up to sit next to her younger brother. "I heard about your friend's death. I'm sorry for your loss."

"I shouldn't have changed. I should've just remained a Nobody," replied Roxas.

"And would that have been any better?" she accused sharply, hurt by her brother's callousness. "You can spend the rest of your life thinking about the what-ifs, but what's happened, happened. You can't go back and change it, even if you might be the reincarnation of Ventus the Youngest."

Roxas had no reply for her words, letting a tense silence fall between the pair.

"Mom and Dad were sad they had to let you go," she said softly. "It was difficult for them to see you again after almost fifteen years of separation."

"So? I'm destined to be a Nobody. If I had stayed, who can say I would not have changed to how I am today?"

"Maybe you might have, but Mother and Father do not think so. They believe that it was their fault that you grew up to be such a confused man."

"It can't be helped." He shrugged casually in response.

"Oh come off it, Roxas. Nobodies are human too," said Aqua exasperatedly. Roxas frowned slightly and turned slowly toward his older sister. He remained silent, but Aqua would not let the topic go.

"I've seen you as a normal person and I've seen Nobodies in public. I would loath to have you act like that all the time."

"But Marlene would be alive then," he murmured.

The blue-haired woman breathed out a sigh of mild irritation. "I might not know the whole story between you and Marlene, but if she _was_ the one who brought you back from being a Nobody, do you really think she would've wanted you to stay a Nobody? Stay a cold-hearted, social outcast just so she would remain alive?" she said heatedly.

"No," she continued without giving her brother a chance to answer, "she probably wouldn't have wanted that. You're doing her memories and yourself disfavor in thinking that way."

"But I guess it doesn't matter any more," she ended softly.

"But it does," replied Roxas. "Otherwise I wouldn't be up here."

Aqua turned her head upward to look at the stars that dotted the orange to purple sky. Even though she's lived in Twilight Town all her life, the magical sky never ceased to amaze her. Roxas watched his sister carefully, noticing the pallor on her face and the few thin lines that marred the corners of her eyes and lips, as though worry governed her being.

"Why are you here, Aqua?" he asked, continuing to watch her. The blue-eyed woman looked at her brother with surprise. She hadn't thought the teen would actually have picked up on her own inner turmoil with the death of a friend weighing heavily on his mind.

"It's nothing," she murmured softly, looking away and down at her fidgeting hands with a blush on her face.

"It can't be nothing that you would be like me, up here at this hour," retorted the blonde.

"Just what Coral had said about me and Terra this evening," she admitted softly, attempting to pass off her worries as some insignificant thing. "It got me thinking, that's all."

"You're not used to having such a possible weighty responsibility," suggested Roxas. Aqua nodded.

"I envy Terra; being able to sleep even with the weight of the world partially resting on our shoulders."

"Who says I'm asleep?" came Terra's sarcastic voice. Roxas and Aqua reflexively turned toward the direction where the attic window was, through which the two had climbed through to reach the roof, but there was no sign of the ashy-redhead.

"Where are you, Terra?" asked Aqua, bewildered.

"In my room, duh," he said. Roxas gingerly scooted down the shingles and leaned over the edge of the roof to look at his brother leaning against the open window of his room, staring out into the distance.

"Did we wake you up?" the teen asked. Terra snorted.

"No," he replied. "Couldn't sleep." He let a brief pause pass before speaking again. "I heard everything you guys were saying. You're lucky you guys are sitting right above my room rather than Coral's."

"Or Mom and Dad's," added Aqua. Terra snorted again.

"Heh, yeah."

Roxas scooted back up the shingled roof and stared unseeingly into the distance. The cool sea breeze caressed the three silent insomniacs.

"You don't have to treat your new found roles thinking that the world will end if you fail," commented Roxas wisely. "You aren't only Keyblade wielders in this world."

"Yeah, but we're related to the one who's supposed to be Ventus the Youngest's reincarnation," replied the redhead.

"Leave that issue to the Chasers. They're the one who need to worry about that." Roxas grinned roguishly, though only Aqua could see it. The blue-haired woman giggled softly.

Terra heaved a heavy sigh. "Easy for you to say. You're our brother. You think we wouldn't worry about you?"

"I'm perfectly capable of handling myself, 'kay thanks," jested Roxas. The trio shared an easy laugh out of it.

"We should sleep," Aqua said aloud. Roxas nodded in agreement, feeling freer than he had before he got onto the roof.

"Good night, you two goofballs," said Terra.

"Good night," replied Aqua. She then began her descent back into the house.

"Aqua, Terra," Roxas said hesitantly.

She raised her head and looked at him expectantly.

"What?" Terra replied, stifling a yawn.

"Thank you both."

The light-blue haired woman smiled peacefully at the younger man. "What is a family if we don't help out each other?" She gave a soft laugh. "Good night, Roxas."

"Good night, Aqua."

* * *

No dreams and nightmares met Roxas as he slept that night for the meager hours that he had left before the proverbial rising of the sun. However, as he continued to sleep on, images stirred within his mind, leaking through the mental wall that had been erected not by the boy, but by another unknown to him.

He shifted in his bed, clutching the comforter closer to him as faint screams met his ears. He whimpered in his sleep, trying hard to keep the images at bay but the screams just kept coming. It wasn't until the door to his room slammed open did he open his eyes and, through the fog and haze, realized that the screams didn't end with his awakening.

Coral stood in the doorway with wild eyes and ashen face.

"Heartless," she said tersely. "He knows we're here."

At the sound of those words, Roxas immediately got out of bed and threw on the Nobody garb that he had pulled out the previous night due to Sora's presence. He tousled his own hair, shivering at the drastic temperature drop since the previous day, and looked out the window.

The orange sky was redder than usual, the sun darker. They were only signs that the Heartless is in Twilight Town.

He stepped out of his room to see Coral heading downstairs. Terra had already dressed and flexed his fingers in preparation for battle, a stony expression upon his face. He looked into his sister's room to find her fumbling with the buttons of an overcoat. She groaned in frustration as her hands trembled, making the button slip through her fingers.

Roxas crossed the few steps between the door and his sister and helped her get buttoned up.

"Thanks," she said.

"No problem," he replied, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Just stay calm. It's just the Heartless." Aqua nodded emphatically before heading out with Roxas following closely behind her.

In the foyer, Roxas found his parents, looking extremely haggard, finish packing three bags. Aqua looked at the packs in alarm, noting the number. Terra grudgingly picked up a bag, a frown etched upon his face.

"Take these," Refia said, handing a pack to Aqua, who accepted it with apprehension.

"We'll follow you to the Mansion later," Luneth added with a weak smile, dropping the last pack into Roxas's hands. "But right now, you all have to leave quickly."

"But-" Aqua began.

"No buts," her mother said, her eyes cold and hard, allowing no arguments from her daughter. "We'll be fine." She looked at her grown-up children with soft eyes. "Oh my dears," she blurted, hugging each one of them tightly before letting them go once again.

"We have to go now," Coral said tersely, cutting short the parting words. Terra nodded in agreement.

"Stay safe, my children," Luneth said gruffly, holding back the tumult of emotions.

"See you at the Mansion," Terra said, giving a flippant wave that felt awkward to the redhead.

"Bye, Mom; bye, Dad," said Aqua with a sad smile, trying to be brave for her parents.

"Good-bye," murmured Roxas. He stopped just beyond the threshold of the front door to look back nostalgically at his parents. With a weak smile of his own, he waved briefly before turning to catch up to the others, never looking back.

* * *

Twilight Town soldiers marched through the streets in squadrons with others directing the panicked populace toward shelter. Roxas had never seen such a crowd in Sunset Hill in the weeks he had been there.

"We should use the Underground Walkway," said Terra. "It'll take us twenty minutes to get to the Town Center, but it's faster than taking the overcrowded train."

"Let's go that way then," said Coral.

The Underground Walkway was equally crowded like the station plaza in Sunset Hill, but at least the traffic through the Walkway was brisk, each family eager to get to the Town Center and perhaps secure a passage to another part of the Twilight Town Kingdom.

As the four went Underground and reached one of the many large common areas where street vendors once sold their trinkets, the sound of Heartless appearing surrounded them.

"Down!" yelled Coral, pushing a nearby woman down as she summoned her Keyblade. She blocked the downward kick of a Soldier Heartless and quickly destroyed the enemy. Likewise, Roxas, Terra, and Aqua each summoned their own Keyblades.

The initial wave of Heartless that appeared was simple to defeat, particularly for the two seasoned Keyblade wielders. The majority of the group of Soldier Heartless that appeared was easily dispatched by both Coral and Roxas, with Terra and Aqua fighting the remaining Soldiers while the former two engaged in battle against Armored Knights and Lance Soldiers that appeared.

While these Heartless were still not much of a challenge for the pair of veteran fighters, Coral knew that the four couldn't risk wasting more time in transit. Even though they might be hidden in the large crowd, they couldn't risk Xehanort finding them and killing the innocent people around them.

"Aqua, keep the people moving along," commanded the Chaser. "We'll take care of things here."

The blue-haired lady uttered a sound of acknowledgement before turning towards the civilians who were beginning to rise up from the ground after Coral's initial command. "Come, everyone, this way!" she shouted, directing the people away from the skirmish.

Roxas dared a glance at his sister directing the people down the passageway before turning to parry the sharp appendage of an Armored Knight. Heartless surrounded him and he quickly jumped up as the Heartless lunged at him with their pointed arms and weapons, skewering nothing but air where Roxas once was.

The teen flipped in midair and pointed his Keyblade downward, breaking through the lattice of limbs and spears and causing the Heartless to stagger back. A horizontal slash as he landed in a crouching position dispatched a number of Armored Knights.

He parried another lunging of the lance from a Heartless as Coral stabbed one end of her Keyblade into the shadowy creature.

Though the Heartless that continued to appear gave them no problem, the continued appearance of Heartless that replaced the ones that were destroyed delayed their intention to move on through the Underground Walkway to Twilight Town Proper. Coral, after destroying another Heartless with a double slash across the torso of a Soldier that had appeared right in front of her, knew that they were sitting ducks for Xehanort as long as they remained tied up with these Heartless. The realization deepened her frown.

"Gah," grunted Terra as a Lance Soldier caught him on his left forearm. Though the wound wasn't deep, it bled rather profusely. Roxas quickly went over to aid his brother, watching as the older man dispatched the Heartless that had wounded him.

The sound of regular metallic footsteps echoed down the walkway as Twilight Town soldiers finally arrived. They quickly took over the fighting, allowing the three fighters to take a breather. Terra set down the pack that was slung around his shoulder and quickly pulled out a clean roll of gauze that had been packed. With Roxas's help, they quickly wrapped up the wound tightly.

"We have to go," Coral stated grimly, dismissing her Keyblade and following the wave of people down the direction they were headed in.

"But," Terra protested, turning to look at the soldiers who fought against the Heartless.

"We have no choice," said Roxas, turning to follow Coral. His brother growled softly with frustration at Coral's decision but said nothing else as he followed the pair.

By the time they reached the end of the Walkway and found Aqua in the midst of hundreds of people that milled about the Town Center, they had already been delayed for over thirty minutes. Without another word, Coral grabbed the blue-haired woman by a wrist and began weaving her way through the crowd. She stopped only once to make sure Roxas and Terra were behind her before letting go of Aqua and opting to keep a hand on the blond-haired teen. She had already failed Marlene; she wasn't about to let Roxas get away from her in the wave of people.

Though he was unhappy with Coral's overprotection, Roxas was glad that the Chaser was doing so. Part of him _did_ fear what would happen if his ancestor was allowed to return to this world, living on borrowed time, in a borrowed body. Unconsciously and miraculously, he somehow grasped Aqua's hand in the crowd of people as they walked as quickly as they can towards the other end of the town center where the gate to the Royal forest stood.

The area in front of the gate was clear of the crowd, undoubtedly the work of the two guards that stood at either side of the large gilded gate. Coral allowed herself a brief smile as the quartet neared.

At that exact moment, several whooshing sounds surrounded the four as creatures similar to the ones that had blocked Roxas from aiding Coral and the late King of Destiny Islands rose up from the ground swiftly. The creatures swayed on their feet unnaturally, their large heads bobbing up and down as they seemed to "stare" at their targets.

Screams from panicked civilians rang out about them, but the strange beings didn't seem to be bothered by the fear; they didn't go after the people that scattered about them either. They simply stood their place, keeping the four Keyblade wielders within the small circle.

An alarm bell rang loudly in the watchtower nearby and beyond the din, the sound of soldiers rushing towards the gate could be heard.

The sound of birds trilling grabbed the attention of the strange creatures and Mickey Mouse leaped up to bring his Keyblade down upon the beings, destroying two in a burst of stars and bubbles before landing next to Coral. The rest of the creatures backed up in the presence of their new opponent.

"Dusks," he said grimly. "Xehanort's latest creation."

"Does that mean-" Coral never finished her question.

"Yes, I am here," the man said with a smirk as he appeared in a swirling black. Roxas felt his heart lurch painfully in the presence of the man and he clutched the front of his robe with a cry, dropping to his knees.

"Ven!" cried Aqua at the same time Mickey voiced "Roxas!" with concern. The blue-haired woman dropped down to support her brother.

"How did you find us?" hissed Coral, keeping her Keyblade trained on the leader of the Heartless horde.

"I left a present for you the last time we met," he grinned. Mickey narrowed his eyes upon the man, quickly figuring out what the man meant. Coral blanched, one hand unconsciously moving to her stomach where Xehanort had wounded her.

"Now, I've come to bring _him_ back."

Instantly, Terra, Mickey, and Coral stepped between the black-haired man and his target.

"Not a chance," said Terra, glaring at the man with cold eyes.

Xehanort sneered at the grayish-redhead. "I always knew you would act brashly, Terra." He looked past the man's shoulder at the blue-haired woman who knelt next to her brother. "And of course, Aqua's always too caring."

"Traits of a normal human," commented the green-haired Chaser coldly, "unlike you."

"Was I supposed to take that as an insult, my dear Coral?" laughed Xehanort. "Emotions are worthless; they only get in the way of reaching true perfection."

"You will never be able to achieve what the Three accomplished with the Keyblades," she retorted.

"I don't have to," the man said with a low voice. He raised one hand and snapped his fingers; instantly, Dusks appeared from the ground along with several other similar types of the strange creatures. The man raised his arms, waving them about as through to showcase his creations.

"I call them 'Naughts', true Nobodies without a heart, without emotions, without the hindrances that hold man back from absolute power and total domination. They are the product of an experiment that I started centuries ago. And to think, the one nicknamed 'The Perfect Nobody' is the reincarnation of Ven. Too bad he's not so 'perfect' after all."

Roxas watched the man as carefully as he could, a grimace on his face as he gritted his teeth to endure the pain in his chest that intensified with each heart beat. His hand clutched the shirt material tighter and his breath came heavily in pants. It almost felt as though he wasn't getting any air.

"Why won't you just let go of the present, Ventus?" sneered Xehanort, his red eyes staring into Roxas's stormy blue. "You can spare your friends the pain if you would just return!"

With those words said, the creatures Xehanort called Naughts leaped up and lunged downward at the group of Keyblade wielders. Immediately, Mickey leaped up to meet the first wave of enemies, attacking the Dusks with precision as multiple Naughts burst into light and bubbles. Coral blocked a shot from a Freeshooter before attacking a Dancer nearby. Terra stabbed at an Assassin that kept mostly underground before being pulled up aggressively by the exasperated man, who then pummeled the creature with a flurry of slashes to destroy it.

Though the three fought at strategic points around Aqua and Roxas, the former supporting the latter, the number of enemies was simply too numerous for the three to stay at their points. Slowly, the three found themselves being separated, and Aqua, lacking the prowess that Coral and Mickey had, was having an extremely hard time fending off the Naughts that got near. As she fought, she found herself being separated from her brother as well.

The blond-haired youth bit back a cry as he looked in front of him, shutting his eyes tightly when the ache further intensified. In his state, he could see a path being cleared by the Naughts between himself and Xehanort. The closer the man got, the pain simply grew.

"Roxas!" shouted Sora as he and Riku finally arrived at the battlefield with a troop of Twilight Town soldiers. His eyes widened upon seeing the close proximity of sneering man and the blonde.

The sound of his Somebody's voice fueled his resolve to remain himself, and Roxas found the strength to suppress the pain, leaping up with the Kingdom Key held tight in his hands and lashing out at Xehanort.

A thin stream of black blood drops flew into the air from the shallow cut that Roxas managed to land upon the man's face. The teen panted with exertion as the man distanced himself from the boy. His legs collapsed underneath him and the Kingdom Key laid by his side, seemingly forgotten.

The man's left eye twitched slightly as he raised a pale hand to dab at the cut, laughing upon seeing the blackness on his fingertip.

"Well done, Ventus," he said with amusement, "you're still the only one who has been able to wound me. But, that's enough." His eyes landed upon the teen and the Keyblade that lay beside him. He then pulled out the charm that Roxas had given Marlene, letting it go as the object and Kingdom Key began to pulse with light.

"Xehanort, stop this madness!" screamed Mickey Mouse.

"No, Ven!" shrieked Aqua.

"This is no madness," grinned Xehanort. "This is setting thing back they way they are."

"Roxas, hold yourself together," gritted Coral as she fought her way slowly back towards the teen.

"No, Roxas!" screamed Sora in near hysteria, watching helplessly as his Nobody began fading away in front of his eyes.

A heart-wrenching scream passed through the paling lips of the tortured teen, echoing through the suddenly silent Twilight Town. His body stiffened and hovered up above the ground as the shuriken charm began spinning, glowing bright. The Kingdom Key came to life as well, orienting itself in a line that passed through the charm to the boy's heart. Dark lines began forming upon the boy's body, forming concentric circles about the teen that made it look like the outward appearance had been an elaborately decorated ribbon. Spheres of white light gathered at the tip of the Keyblade, building intensely until the climactic moment.

A beam of light shot from the tip of the Keyblade and passed through the charm, shattering it completely, to hit Roxas in the heart. Instantly, the façade that was Roxas unraveled and disintegrated into the air, leaving behind a being aglow with light.

When the light faded, it was no longer a boy that stood but a man who had experienced death. The hair that moved with the wind wasn't the brilliant yellow that Roxas sported, but rather a dull beige, almost white. The skin was sallow and stuck to the skeleton, giving the man an extremely emaciated look. Lines and scars added to the frail gauntness. The Nobody garb was replaced with a light armor bearing a dulled version of the Destiny Islands crest.

Having been trapped in the darkness for such a long time, Ventus the Youngest had his eyes closed when he returned. He tentatively opened his eyes to reveal a sea of dark blue that held only rage.

Xehanort grinned as he watched the old man find his bearings in his surroundings. Ventus's eyes eventually landed upon the nemesis of his siblings and him, narrowing with anger.

"Long time no see, Ventus."

_

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: I think I've officially fallen into the mode of writing lengthy chapters now, though that might be a premature announcement since the next chapter might end up extremely short based on what I currently have in mind. But if anyone wishes to know, the chapter itself is around 17k words, the longest of all chapters thus far, probably a result of the fact that I took more than a month to update, haha._

_As you guys saw, a lot of things happened in this chapter and the ending probably isn't all that unexpected if you read into the multiple plot twists I've already threw out in this fic, lol. I think KH 358/2 Days and BBS had a hand in the development of this chapter too…__ Mainly with my own perceptions from the BBS trailer that's out._

_I called the Nobodies from KH2 "Naughts" in this fic to distinguish the fact that the Nobodies in this fic are human, different from the Nobodies in the actual game. I had debated what to call the Dusks and such for awhile—I could've called them Nobodies since that's their proper title, Unbirths as a tribute to BBS though I have no idea what Unbirths actually are. In the end, I chose "Naughts" since the term conveys the meaning of Nothingness._

_As someone pointed out early in the story which I elaborated, Aerith is the Queen of Macalania and Aeris is the Nobody. It was somewhat silly of me to introduce the pair as such, with Aerith representing the one from FF7 and Aeris representing the one from KH2. So when they pair showed up in this chapter, I ultimately clarified the pairing by nicknaming Aeris as Eri._

_There are a lot of references to other FF characters in this chapter, and I'll start listing them here. Denzel comes from FF7:AC of course. Penelo and Vann are both protagonists from FF12. Relm is the little artist character from FF6. Adelbert, Zidane, and Garnet are from FF9. Edea is a reference to Sorceress Edea from FF8. Originally I had thought to name Penelo and Vann's third sibling Celes from FF6, but that name is so similar to Ceres (one of the Chasers) that I chose Maria, to whom Celes Chere from FF6 resembles a LOT._

_Lastly, I've been working on the mission challenges for 358/2 Days, having finished Mission Mode after getting all 358 Crowns needed for all the rewards a week ago. I'm currently sitting at 183 Challenge Sigils, with 72 more Sigils to go in order to get Ultima Weapon (which is not an actual weapon panel but rather a link panel). So wish me luck, even though challenges are kicking my butt, hard._

_That's enough rambling from me. You know the drill: send any comments or questions you have in reviews. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and I shall do my best to get the next chapter out as soon as possible._

_

* * *

Response to Back and Red Candle's critique: I'll say this ahead of time, I'm probably going to sound defensive in my response to the cons, but that's what happens, XP._

_I do agree that the plot development does seem rather hasty sometimes, particularly in the episode with Ienzo. However, that was a conscious effort on my part to make Ienzo to have a minor role in the overall scheme of things. It also allowed me to expose some of the flaws that Sora has in this fic, how he is still a fifteen year old and has yet to mature, which was my main intention in terms of that episode._

_In regards to character development, my original plan was to focus mainly on Sora and Roxas, which meant that the other characters that I introduced would be static. Of course, as I thought more on the plot and wrote out the story, that changed. I will admit that the characters can be quite bland. In fact, you could probably interchange the names of all the "canon" characters that have been introduced and it wouldn't have made a difference in the story beyond a few awkward moments. I guess I expected my readers to extrapolate what they saw in the characters based on the games they come from and apply their expectations here._

_Similarly, because I was trying to focus on Sora and Roxas, the relationship between Kairi and Naminé isn't elaborated. You could argue that the relationship between Sora and Roxas is murky, but that was my intention to make it complex. There's the entire status difference that Queen Shizune talked about at the beginning of the story and the sense of duty that Nobodies have for their Somebodies, as seen in this chapter between Eri/Aeris and Aerith. Also, keep in mind that it's only been a year or so since Sora and Roxas first met, though Roxas might know Sora inside out, Sora does not, and that just makes this relationship that much less clean cut as the one between Cloud and Tifa. That's my point of view._

_I appreciate the time you took to nitpick things from this fic. I know that it's one of the more popular ones amongst the Sora/Roxas fics that are still on-going now, but even a fic of this caliber has got to have some flaws! Hopefully chapter 17 was a better read for you in terms of improving the cons as you've listed, but do understand that I'll still be going full steam ahead with my style of writing, just tweaking it a bit here and there, 8)._


	19. Understanding Promises

_To reviewers of chapter 17:_

_LupinandHarry: FF is awesome. FF6 and FF5 are actually on SNES and you can easily find the emulator and the roms for those games online. There's a PC version for FF7 and I believe FF8 if you care to torrent for them. I'm sure if you look hard enough you could find other FF games too, hehe._

_DarkBombayAngel: Not as much as I hope to incorporate in this chapter, sorry, XD._

_Jenediah Freak: Well, I think fans are kind of sadistic sometimes (see grisly fics XP), so that's to be expected. And to be honest, I didn't actually thought of Roxas turning into Ventus like the Mask; I was thinking more along the lines of the very first episode of _Soul Eater_ when they were trying to hunt for a witch's soul but ended up getting a cat's soul instead, lol._

_broken-Angel-requiem-Soul: Unfortunately, cliffhangers are necessary at times, though I didn't like having that one with this update so late._

_D: Thanks for the support, hope you enjoy this chapter._

_Azuresapphire15: Well, I won't spoil much, but Sora and Roxas will start to mend their relationship starting with this chapter, hehe._

_moshi95 AKA sherley C.: Thanks. Sorry for the late update though._

_Nira Rose: I agree, Sora and Roxas are quite cute together, haha._

_Aerin: Thanks for the compliment. Hope it wasn't too long of a wait for you with this chapter._

_niwa-k: Well, I considered your suggestion and here's the first of the many summaries to come before each chapter. Hope you didn't have to go back and read more chapters again._

_

* * *

Recap thus far: Prince Sora of Destiny Islands began a journey to explore the world with his Nobody, gifted to him upon his fifteenth birthday. However, the journey turned into a quest for the ancient Keyblades with the resurgence of Heartless, commanded by the ever ambitious Bastion Imperialists. Together, the pair of travelers delve further into the history of the Keyblades, uncovering the origins of Nobodies and the unspoken secrets surrounding the Nameless Key. All the while, the two have drawn closer together yet the tragedies that precipitated to Sora's early coronation as the new king caused them to grow apart. With Roxas's destiny finally unveiled, Sora raced to Twilight Town to save his Nobody, but it was too little too late. Now, Ventus the Youngest has returned from the darkness and Roxas's life hangs in the balance._

* * *

**Chapter 18 – Understanding Promises**

* * *

A frown seemed forever etched upon the emaciated face of Ventus the Youngest, who glared at the smirking black-haired man with such fury that eventually took the smile off of Xehanort's face. The man reached out to one side with an outstretched hand and closed it into a fist just as the Ultima Keyblade disappeared from Sora's hands and reappeared in Ventus's own.

The present king of Destiny Islands uttered a gasp of shock and stared disconcertingly at his empty hands. His eyes looked up to find the magnificent Keyblade in his ancestor's hand, as though the Keyblade had always been the weapon of Ventus the Youngest's rather than his.

The forger of the Ultima Keyblade waved the weapon in the air in front of himself, his eyes never leaving the smirking face of his enemy. Ventus huffed out a breath and raised the Keyblade above his head, pointing it directly at the sky as pillars of white light shot down, hitting the area around him haphazardly.

Riku hissed in a breath as a searing white light pillar shot down exceedingly close to him, singeing the tips of the hairs on the back of his head. A Twilight Town soldier wasn't as lucky as the pillar left a burn mark on his right forearm, the light having burned through the metal with ease.

The pillars of light continued to fall until all the Naughts had been destroyed, leaving behind only Xehanort as their sole opponent.

The red-eyed villain glared at the emaciated man coldly, the smile upon his face had long since turned into a frown as the man before him easily destroyed the creatures that he had made through years of experimentation.

"I should've remembered about the Three's powers with the manipulations of light," he growled. Ventus continued to stare challengingly at Xehanort.

Aqua collapsed onto the ground in despair; unable to look away as her eyes stayed upon the gaunt form of the man who should be his brother. She murmured under her breath, repeated the words of denial that her brother was lost to them once again. Terra gulped down a lump of discomfort, watching the tension interaction between Ventus the Youngest and the man responsible for everything. Yet, he had the sense to go to his sister, kneeling down to lay a supporting hand on Aqua's shoulder.

"Ventus," said Mickey softly, a hardened look upon his face.

"It has been a long time, my old friend," Ventus finally spoke. The voice that came out of the man was completely unexpected—that of Roxas's own.

"R-Roxas?" uttered Aqua warily—the hope that Roxas wasn't completely lost filled her heart. But Ventus did not respond.

"Why are you not dead, Xehanort?" the man hissed angrily. At this, the villain smiled sinisterly.

"When you and your accursed siblings gave immortality to the Chasers, I became immortal as well. After all, the Chaser organization is _my_ doing."

The ghostly man frowned, thinking back on his sister's worries when they had decided that the remaining Chasers were to live an immortal life on Levan. Her worry was founded after all.

"Very well then," Ventus said, summoning the Kingdom Key as it disappeared on the ground to his hand. He assumed the battle stance that seemed to mirror Roxas's own; Ultima Keyblade in one hand, Kingdom Key in the other at his side. "Let us end this age-long conflict once and for all."

Xehanort barked out a cruel laughter. "Come now," he sneered at the gaunt man. "Do you honestly think I would fight you on neutral ground? In a place where I have little chance of winning?"

"Then why did you bring me back?" Ventus's dark blue eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"To let you prepare for the final fight and to give myself a challenge," the former Chaser confessed arrogantly. "When I defeat you soundly, you will know the true meaning of pain and suffering as I have since my defeat at your hands. You will think that the solitude you endured after your death until now is heaven compared to what I have in mind for you. When I'm through with you, you won't even remember the light."

"The light will always win against the darkness," scowled the wielder of the Ultima Key.

Xehanort snorted. "We shall see." Swirling darkness rose up from the ground and surrounded the man as the leader of the Heartless horde disappeared from Twilight Town.

Ventus grinded his teeth together, pressing his pale lips into a thin line in anger. The idea that he might lose to the man who he had beaten ages before left a bitter taste in his mouth. He spat out on the ground viciously, refusing to believe the villain's words, even though they might actually end up being true. Dismissing the two Keyblades in his hands with two flashes of light, the ghostly man turned his face upward to look at the sky, noticing for the first time the darkened hue of orange that covered his brother's beloved Twilight Town. Looking to the east, he found the dark clouds of the End of the World slowly rolling towards him.

As though he had forgotten about the two Chasers and his descendants, he began walking away in the direction of Station Heights, only to be stopped by two Keyblades that came to rest upon his shoulders, their deadly edges pointing directly at his unprotected neck.

Terra and Riku eyed the man, who was at least two heads taller than Roxas, with guarded distaste, finding Roxas's "disappearance" to be completely unpalatable.

"You are making a big mistake by getting in my way," Ventus remarked coldly.

"Are we?" Riku responded hotly, almost challenging his ancestor's authority.

"This is not your time, Ven," said Mickey as he approached the gaunt man, standing in his way defiantly. "You are robbing a boy of his future."

"And was _my_ future not robbed from me?" the man retorted furiously. "You say this is not our time, and yet the two of you stand before me!" He glared at Mickey and Coral, who had joined her friend at his side.

"You have lived well into your thirties," replied Coral, trying to remain calm despite Ventus's change in demeanor since his "death" centuries before. "You've seen your daughter grow up to adolescence. But the body that you currently inhabit belongs to a boy in his teens! You can't possibly condemn him to a fate worse than death!"

"No boy needs to fight in the wars that I did. The _boy_ is better off this way."

"His name is Roxas," said Sora calmly, cutting through the emotionally charged air coolly. "And he has already fought in numerous battles, putting himself in harm's way to protect me. He's fought against the Heartless, the greed of arrogant men seeking to subvert us and our allies, and, most importantly, the unspeakable evil that resides within me—the Nameless Key. Your presumption about my confidant is wrong."

Ventus's eyes narrowed upon hearing the name of the cursed Keyblade. "Then you must be…"

"Sora Caelum," reported the brown-haired teen proudly, "the current king of your kingdom, Destiny Islands."

"And the last of my line," the man murmured under his breath. The Keyblades left his shoulder as he turned to look at his descendants, eyes widening upon seeing the faces of his brother and sister.

"Have we lost our brother?" Aqua asked softly, looking up at the ghastly looking man with tears in her eyes.

"I'm right here, Aqua," Ventus replied soothingly, hoping to prevent his sister from crying; he hated seeing Aqua cry. To his surprise, she shook her head.

"You're not our brother," she said sadly. "You're the brother of our ancestors, not the Ventus who lives."

"Terranu and Aquaria have long since passed from this world into the Promised Land," said Mickey, eying the youngest of the Three with a frown upon his face. "Surely you must know this."

"We would've ensured your easy passage from this world to the next had you not been returned," added Coral.

"It matters not," the pale-haired man responded immediately, frustration heavy in his voice. "What does matter now is the longer we waste standing around here, the more time Xehanort has to prepare and perfect his plans."

"Whatever they might be," he added to himself quietly.

"You have no intentions of giving up the body," Riku said bluntly.

"I don't have a choice in this matter," seethed Ventus. "Even if I do accept and trust your words, there is nothing I can do to rectify this situation. Besides, I know how to fight against Xehanort best."

"But we can fight!" exclaimed Aqua, standing up abruptly to confront the ancient man. "This is our world, our time that we're fighting for. We're _not_ going to stand by and watch it go to ruin!"

"Shut up. I'm in control here!" he glared at the girl in front of him with darkened eyes that gleamed with latent insanity, his hands open at his sides ready to summon the Keyblades. Yet, strangely enough, the magical weapons did not come to him.

A whoosh sounded to his left and Ventus found himself staring at the Keyblade that was rightfully his in the hands of Sora, who looked at him grimly. His blue eyes that usually reflected his emotions were cold and emotionless, sparing no sympathy for the ghostly man in front of him. All of a sudden, Sora resembled Roxas the Nobody more than he has ever been.

"These Keyblades are meant to protect this world from the Heartless, not for personal agendas against an enemy. Even though you are the creator and original owner of this Keyblade, only those with the greater hearts have the right to wield the Keyblades."

Another flash of light illuminated the area around Sora's left hand as the Kingdom Key sat in the teen's hand brilliantly, unlike when it had been in Ventus's hand moments before.

The pale-haired man scowled with displeasure at his loss of the Keyblades. His eyes darkened even more as anger bubbled within.

"If you intend on keeping my Keyblades from me, then I shall simply have to make my own once again. There's nothing you can say to dissuade me from my goal to destroy Xehanort once and for all." He turned sharply back towards Station Heights, only to find Mickey and Coral's own Keyblades trained on him.

"I'm afraid we can't let that happen," Mickey said sadly.

"This is not your fight, Ven," added Coral. "I'm sorry."

"Just because I don't have a Keyblade, that doesn't mean I can't fight," Ventus remarked darkly. "How do you intend on stopping me?"

"Like this," said Terra tersely, bringing down the hilt of Oblivion on the back of Ventus's neck. The sharp blow immediately knocked the man out as he crumpled onto the ground.

"Sora, your crown necklace," said Mickey as he held a hand out.

"O-oh," the king replied, startled by the mouse-lord's strange request. He handed his necklace over and watched as Mickey placed the necklace upon the unconscious man. Coral took the Kingdom Key from Sora and pointed it at the necklace, making room for Mickey to hold onto the Keyblade as well. The two Chasers closed their eyes and pointed their Chaser Keyblades toward the sky as sparks of light fell down upon them. A beam of light touched the necklace and created a barrier around Ventus the Youngest.

Mickey breathed a sigh of relief, opening his eyes sadly.

"What did you just do?" asked Aqua worriedly.

"Keeping Ventus from waking up," he said. "We were right with Ven. He has been living in the darkness for far too long."

"We have to go to Nibelheim now," Coral said softly. "The others must know of Ventus's return." Mickey nodded.

"Maybe Ventus will come to his senses when we're in Nibelheim," murmured Sora. But all of them had their doubts of the sensible Ventus from returning; this was one fight that the light might not win against the darkness after all.

* * *

The darkness didn't scare him this time. It only made him sad.

Roxas looked about the bleak place around him with a sense of homesickness. Gray sands crunched underneath his shoes and dark rocks eroded by time enclosed the private beach. A large rock shaped into an arch sat off to the side in the sea, slowing the speed of the waves that crashed softly against the sandy beach. A bright moon sat in the distance, its reflection in the water blurred with the ocean waves. The white light was soothing and enveloped the teen in a blanket of security. Whether it was false or true, Roxas cared no longer.

He simply basked in the cool yet warm light from the bright white moon.

Letting the sound of sand underneath his feet wash over him, Roxas sat down near the edge of the wash, feeling the gritty sand underneath his hands and the water lap at his covered legs and feet.

The boy closed his eyes and took in a deep breath as a warm breeze tousled his spiked hair. It felt like he was back in Twilight Town all of a sudden, but even his fervent wish couldn't bring him back. Xehanort had completed his objective.

Strangely enough, Roxas felt free for the first time in his entire life.

"Maybe I belong here…" he said softly to himself. But where was here?

He opened his eyes, lying down on the cool sand to turn his eyes skyward where dim stars twinkled in the grayish sky, not entirely black due to the presence of the moon.

The quietness of the entire place was accentuated by the small waves crashing rather softly against the beach; it was actually the only thing that Roxas could hear beyond his own breathing and, if he listened closely enough, his own heartbeat.

He allowed his mind to wander, a distant look in his eyes. Questions about this place ran across his thoughts briefly, but the lack of answers made it imprudent to dwell upon the unanswered queries for Roxas. The only question he had the answer to was what had happened before he came to be here.

Unconsciously, one hand moved over his chest, over where his heart sat beating steadily in its place. There was no pain that coursed through his body like venom unchecked or a numbness that should've resulted from being overloaded with pain for such a long time as he had been prior to waking up in this place. Instead, he simply felt normal.

His other hand dug into the gray sands beneath him, noticing the coarseness of each particle and the coolness that surrounded him. There was just no pain at all.

Staring unseeingly at the stars above, the blond-haired teen thought back to the brief moments before he fell unconscious and found himself in this place. The faces that flitted through his memories all expressed negative feelings, causing him to shiver unexpectedly. Yet, it wasn't the faces themselves that struck out in his mind the most; it was the eyes that had made Roxas to think about the ones he saw last.

Mickey's onyx eyes shone with guilt and faded hope that Roxas would return unscathed from this situation.

Coral's grey ones were wild with fear. The Nobody supposed that the immortal girl had known so much that the unknown scared her and they all knew that Ventus the Youngest was truly a mystery after centuries of solitude in the darkness.

His sister's aquamarine eyes reflected a deep seeded sadness, having lost her brother once already. And now, she was going to lose him again, though not physically, but spiritually as her brother was no longer her brother, but Ventus the Youngest of the ancient Three.

His brother's blue eyes held an unwavering hope and perhaps foolhardy determination to bring Roxas back unchanged even though the teen had already been displaced by his ancestor within his own body. The bullheadedness of his brother brought a small smile to the boy's face, but a lingering fear wiped the smile off his face immediately. He prayed that Terra wouldn't turn to the darkness to save him.

He didn't recall Riku's green eyes, only remembering the anger that rolled off of him as he battled the Naughts around him furiously. Protecting the motionless teen beside him, Riku had attacked his enemies aggressively that the more Roxas dwelled upon it, the more upset he became. Perhaps it was for Sora's sake that he felt a sense of worry for the prince of Twilight Town.

Lastly, he remembered Sora's eyes, his face, his entire body movement as he stared hopelessly, tearfully at him. Of all the people he's ever met and had the privilege of knowing, Sora was the most confusing one. He thought it was easy to figure someone out, particularly Sora since the king of Destiny Islands practically wore his heart on his sleeves, but the more he spent time with the brown-haired teen, both in private and in public, the less he felt like he knew about Sora. Every single thought, decision, action wasn't made with simply his own beliefs, but rather with the thoughts of many others in mind.

It was ironic—as Sora's Nobody, Roxas should have known everything about Sora, anticipated every single decision and action that the Somebody would make. Actually, he _did_ know everything about Sora, the trainers at The World That Never Was had tested him on various occasions in different situations about Sora's line of thinking. Every single time, he had gotten them correct. Yet, the moment he left The World That Never Was and came to Destiny Islands, all of his training flew out the door. With his presence, Sora's actions and decisions deviated from Roxas's expectations. Maybe no one can ever stay the same; maybe even Nobodies must change.

The thought of change created a lump in his throat as he remembered the terrible news that Sora had given him just a day prior to Ventus's return. Melancholy filled his heart with the fond memories of the brief time he had with Marlene while they were still at Revenant Wings. The thought that if he hadn't changed then Marlene would be all right returned, but he knew that Aqua was right. Marlene wouldn't want him to stay a Nobody, not when she's seen a side of him that he hadn't seen for himself before.

Roxas snorted sardonically as his eyes cleared, bringing the sight of stars back into his vision.

"What am I doing?" he murmured rhetorically. "I made a promise to Sora and Coral. I _have_ to get back to them. To my family."

With his eyes cleared of the lingering gloom, Roxas got up from his place and looked at the sea that barred him from going anywhere. A determined smile appeared on his face and he spread his feet apart, anchoring himself for what he was about to do next. He waved his arms in front of him one after another in a slashing motion, summoning Oathkeeper and Oblivion as he did so. The two blades rested in his hands filled him with strength and the courage to face the unknown.

He took in a deep breath and slowly moved the Keyblades in front of him, closing his eyes to focus his energies upon his weapons. The pair began to glow gradually, Oathkeeper a brilliant white and Oblivion a shimmering blue. Bordered auras began to spread from the Keyblades, the colors wrapping around each other like living ribbons.

For a while, the ribbon-like lights continued to grow, fanning into the sky above Roxas before they enveloped the entire beach. Then, they suddenly retracted back into the Keyblades before a beam of dual-colored light shot from Roxas's heart, passing over the top and into the sea. The light faded from the Nobody and left him drained. The teen plopped down on the ground, spraying sands into the air around him. He puffed in air heavily, watching the light in the sea shimmering as though a reaction was building.

The air was still about him, the silence disturbed only by Roxas's heavy breathing. The light in the sea continued to grow, gradually filling the entire dark blue sea. A low rumbling came from the earth beneath him, shaking the ground. Roxas let out an amused snort as the sea exploded with light, showering the entire area with blinding whiteness. The teen had to shield his eyes lest his eyesight failed him for the result of whatever he had just done.

When the light finally faded, the sound of water falling echoed through the place. Roxas slowly opened his eyes to see a path that cut through the sea following the gradual slope on the sea floor. The path was a simple line, directed straight toward the distant moon.

"Wow," Roxas uttered in awe, eying the walls of falling water. The entire sight took his breath away, as though some savior had just provided a path to freedom for his people in a highly impossible manner; in this case, the former Nobody was the savior and the refugee.

Banishing any doubt that the water would come crashing down on him as he traversed the dark path, the blond-haired teen began his way towards the cleared path. However, before he got far, a light from behind him caught his attention. He turned around to find a most familiar face upon the figure that appeared—his own.

"_Utinur en lokirim_," his mirror image spat out angrily. "_Nadorhuanrim. Amin feuya ten' sen. __Sut verya ron uma a'amin!?_"

The anger that manifested in front of him immediately made Roxas wary of the older version of himself. Eventually, the angry man found himself staring at a younger version of himself in Roxas. His tirade stopped abruptly and a blush colored his pale skin, embarrassed at using such inappropriate languages in front of someone else.

"D," he started, stuttering slightly, "do you understand what I just said?" he asked. Roxas shook his head slowly despite deducing that the words had negative connotations based on the man's tone of voice; the language that the man had said fluidly sounded strangely familiar, but was not something he understood.

Ventus the Youngest, looking very much healthy at his prime, breathed a sigh of relief. He took a longer look at Roxas this time, taking note of the similarities between the boy who stood in front of him and himself when he was at the teen's age.

"You're Roxas, aren't you?" Ventus asked.

"And you're Ventus the Youngest," replied Roxas simply. The older man nodded silently, looking about the private beach with aloofness. He disregarded the path that Roxas had just opened up prior to his appearance and took a seat on the gray sands.

"At least it's not dark," he commented, as though he was resigning to his new place. Roxas stared at the first king of Destiny Islands with confusion—he was never one to give up that simply…

"Aren't you going to go already?" Ventus commented with mild irritation, gesturing toward the dark path through the sea.

Roxas turned to look at the path before turning back to look at the seated man. Though he did plan to return to Sora, he was curious about Ventus. He hadn't thought that he would ever encounter the man that he resembled so closely, especially not since his ancestor should've been walking around the real world in his body, not here in this strange place.

With his decision made up, Roxas walked back toward the man and sat down. "Do you know where this is?"

Ventus shrugged his shoulders. "Doesn't look like where I had been before," he said. "But if I have to guess, probably somewhere in your heart."

"What happened?" the teen frowned, a feeling of concern washing over him unexpectedly.

"Mickey and Coral forced me to relinquish my control over your body," he said without the bitterness Roxas expected. There was still a tenseness is his words, but he seemed to accept that he was not meant to fight in the final battle for the world that he had lived in a millennium ago. "They're right, of course. This is not my fight."

"But you're still alive," said Roxas. "Well, y'know," he murmured as an afterthought.

"I'm no more alive than you are dead," retorted Ventus. "But this is nice," he added, stretching out his limbs before lying down on the sand with a plop. "I've always been alone in the darkness since my physical death. It's nice to be able to talk to someone else."

Roxas eyed the dark path that cut through the now still sea as water continued falling down the invisible walls that lined the path. His heart began beating faster as he sought to answer the unknown: what was at the end of the road?

"Did you make that path?" Ventus asked unexpectedly, cutting through Roxas's thoughts, made even more turbulent when his mind's been muddled by his heart, by his desire to return to Sora immediately. The boy nodded silently.

"Got someone you feel really strong for then, do you?" asked Ventus in a way that Roxas was almost tempted to not answer. Yet, he disliked the confusion that hindered him from making quick decisions; as such, he felt it was necessary to further the conversation.

"Yeah," the teen replied. "I do."

"Who is it? If you don't mind me asking that is."

Roxas looked at Ventus the Youngest solemnly. "Sora," he replied tersely.

The older man stiffened at the boy's response, a frown etching into his face. He regarded Roxas with a stern look, his clear blue eyes searching across the teen's features for confirmation.

"It's not just because I'm his Nobody, the one assigned to serve him for life," continued Roxas. "I think… I love him. That's why I can make this path for myself, so I can get back to Sora."

"You don't love him," replied Ventus immediately.

"I do," blurted Roxas, his heart coming to the defense of his own feelings for the brown-haired teen.

Ventus shook his head. "The attraction between you and Sora is not a connection of the heart as love is, but a result of what happened to me. You contain my soul, even though indirectly through the charm while Sora is the direct descendant of my line. Naturally, something in you guys would sense one another and feel such attraction since you two are in essence two halves of one being. When this entire thing is over however, you'll find your attraction to one another disappear with my passing."

"You're wrong." Roxas looked at Ventus in the eyes, standing up for his thoughts against the ancient man. "There is more than mere attraction at work here. Our decisions are dictated by each other's situation. If we're merely parts of one being, then we would protect both of us not just the other person, risking our lives just to save the other. Besides, if Sora and I are simply parts of a 2-piece puzzle, wouldn't we already have reunited and completed this 'being' that you speak of?"

The first king of Destiny Islands glared with his piercing clear blue eyes at the defiant boy, who met his gaze confidently, never cowering even when the eyes similar to his own narrowed with anger and indignation.

The two sat in the sand facing each other like that for several long tense moments, neither one backing down from the silent battle of the soul. The sound of water falling filled the air echoed through the air, filling in the silence that came between the pair. It wasn't until the coldness faded from Ventus's eyes did the man conceded the argument.

"If you're right," he began softly, "then that means Sora will be the last of my line. The current heirs of Radiant Garden and Twilight Town will also be the last of their respective lines. The dynasty of the three will finally come to an end. The Keyblades will no longer be used."

"Do you fear the future?" asked Roxas grimly.

"There is a fear that the future will be grim and dark without the Keyblades as beacons of light. Even if we do seal the gateway between this world and that of the Heartless, who is to say that the Heartless won't return? Who is to say that there would be anyone with enough light to battle against the darkness?"

Roxas's own eyes softened at his ancestor's well-founded fear. There had been no records of any true Keyblade wielders before the Three—every single Keyblade wielder afterwards were all descendants of the Three, and the Chasers with their artificial Keyblades are not actually as powerful as they once thought.

"You're right," he responded. "There is no guarantee that the Heartless won't return even if we complete the seal. But you shouldn't doubt this world in the future. There _will_ be people with enough light in their hearts to find a way to repel another Heartless invasion. They might not be related to us by blood, but I'm sure they will have the strong hearts filled with light to summon their own Keyblades."

"But there wouldn't be any Chasers to guide them," frowned Ventus.

"Are the Chasers truly needed?" the young teen asked immediately. "From my understanding, the Chasers merely gave you guys a template for you to base your weapons of light upon. I'm sure that if the Chasers weren't around or hadn't found a way to forge their own Keyblades, you guys would've made another type of weapon still capable of destroying the Heartless."

"Then history will repeat itself," concluded Ventus glumly.

"Maybe, maybe not," replied Roxas lightly.

The older man snorted sardonically. "'The world is never static, always changing with each day. People change; kingdoms rise and fall; peace and war come and go like the seasons of each year. Soldiers in peace long for war, civilians in war long for peace.' That's what Terra said once."

"Your brother is a very wise man."

"I don't think he ever believed in it, but I understand it now." He turned back to stare at the moon in the distant horizon. "Roxas, promise me something when you get to the doorway to the outside," he began.

"What's that?" Taking the hint that he should move on, Roxas picked himself up from the beach, dusting off the sand that clung to his clothes as he looked down at Ventus. The ancient man didn't look at the boy, simply staring at the path and the moon.

"Make sure Xehanort pays for his crimes."

"It's a promise," grinned Roxas. He turned toward the dark path and began his way beyond the dark beach.

"I'm sorry this happened," came Ventus's soft voice as the teen passed into the path and the water rushed in behind him to block off the path.

* * *

Roxas didn't know how long he had been walking down the path. He didn't even know if he was making any progress in reaching this said doorway that Ventus spoke of. It was as though the moon that shone on the horizon was playing tag with him, moving at the same rate that he was moving. He stopped abruptly with a sigh. At least he knew he was moving along, for water continued to fill the path behind him. There was no other way to go but straight.

A sense of fatigue set in like the cold air around him, each soft breath he took fogged up in front of him before disappearing into the air. He turned left and right to look at the black waters that surrounded him, held back by an invisible barrier. The only thing that broke through the stretch of black was the dimmed light from the motionless moon on the horizon, shimmering in the moving sea. He looked upward to try and see the top of the barrier, but he was so far down that all he could see was water. All of a sudden, he felt like he was traversing through an underwater tunnel, and the fear that the tunnel might suddenly collapse on him became a concern.

He resisted the urge to sigh melancholically, knowing that if he had done so, he might not be able to return to Sora at all. He looked down the bleak path and heaved a determined breath. He can't let the seemingly never-ending path stop him. No one ever said that it would be an easy task, he reminded himself.

Before he took another step however, a light sprite suddenly appeared in front of him. He couldn't see the actual creature that was producing the light, only the star-like light. The sprite circled about him curiously before hovering in front of his face as though inspecting the blond-haired teen. Suddenly, it stopped and seemed to turn around to face the direction towards which that Roxas was headed. Roxas looked beyond the sprite and narrowed his eyes as his ears picked up the sound of footfalls on the wet sand.

When the figure stepped into the dimmed light that the sprite casted about the immediate area, the former Nobody stared with widened eyes at the brown-haired teen, who stopped a ways away from the blonde.

"Sora?" Roxas inquired, reaching for the king of Destiny Islands, but the sprite stopped him from moving closer to the brown-haired man. He made for the man again, but again the living creature stayed him, hovering closer to him and glowing brighter, as though telling him to heed its warning.

"Why are you coming back?" Sora asked flatly, his face showing absolutely none of the usual emotions that would flit across the boyish face. "Why didn't you stay where you were?"

"What?" the blonde gaped with disbelief at the older teen, wondering if he had heard him right.

"You don't deserve to live," hissed the brown-haired teen, slowly moving closer to Roxas while disregarding the light that hovered between the two. An unexplainable fear rose within the blonde and he found himself stepping backwards, though there was no way for him to escape.

A sudden shimmer across the brown-haired teen's features made Roxas narrow his eyes.

"You're not Sora," he said darkly, seeing a Naught behind the façade. He summoned the Kingdom Key and lashed out at the dark creature, only to have it disappear unexpectedly on him. A shrill whistle caught his attention and Roxas quickly turned to see the Naught's sharpened appendage slashing downward at him. He blocked the fatal attack and countered with a horizontal slash, severing the Naught in half before it exploded.

"Roxas…" whispers came through the air as more and more of the people who he knew appeared from the shadows down the road, each one of them emotionless but full of malice intent. The faces of Aqua and Terra led the horde, slowly moving towards him.

"You can't stop me from returning!" screamed Roxas before he leaped forth and attacked the Naughts in front of him, destroying all, including the last one with the face of the now-dead girl—Marlene.

Roxas shuddered with uncertain thoughts and self-doubt fogging up his judgment.

"Murderer," a dark whisper echoed in his mind, twisting his thoughts as he saw he had actually killed the people instead of the Naughts that hid behind their faces.

"No," the Nobody breathed out, his knees buckling underneath him as he covered his ears, but the whispers did not stop.

The sprite whistled shrilly as more Naughts appeared, surrounding the unaware blonde. But Roxas disregarded the whistle.

"It's not real," he whispered, drawing on the memories before this. "It's not real!" he screamed empathically as a shockwave of light exploded from him and the dark sea faded away. The blue-eyed youth opened his eyes and stood up slowly with curiosity as the light faded to reveal an orange sky, the sound of waves, and a bent tree on a white beach. He looked behind him and found the waterfall and the wooden hut amongst the tropical foliage that denoted the only place he knew of: Kids' Island.

He doubted that he was actually back in the real world, seeing how he was alone. Wondering why he was here rather than Destiny Islands itself, Roxas made his way to the bent Paopu tree and sat down on the tree trunk.

"Roxas!" came a distant shout. The blonde turned at the familiar voice and found Sora waving at him near the entrance to the Secret Spot. A smile appeared on the former Nobody's face and he leaped off the tree, landing in the water to make his way over to the brown-haired teen.

The two teens reached each other in the knee-high water, embracing each other tightly. Sora let out a sob of happiness, wrapping his arms around the blonde tighter and unwilling to let the younger youth go.

"How did you end up here?" Roxas chose to ask, watching his Somebody carefully as the king of Destiny Islands pulled away from the embrace and summoned Oathkeeper.

"It led me to you," Sora said. "Where's Ventus?" He looked about the empty island for the said man, but found no traces of anyone else besides himself and Roxas.

"Deeper in my heart, or so he says," the blonde answered with a shrug, earning him a frown and furrowed eyebrows from the brown-haired teen.

"That man did this to you," Sora said grimly.

"No," replied Roxas, shaking his head. "Xehanort did this to _us_."

"You don't understand. Ventus the Youngest was perfectly content to keep control of your body and fight Xehanort."

"Maybe it would've been better that way," the Nobody said, walking past Sora.

"What do you mean by that?" the king asked angrily, grabbing onto one of the blonde's arms tightly to stop him.

Roxas breathed a sigh. "He seemed so sad when I talked to him. I think everyone expected him to be understanding and selfless all the time. He deserves much better than being trapped like this." Roxas covered his heart with one hand, caressing the skin over his chest with a tenderness that Sora had never seen before.

"This isn't his fight," Sora echoed what Ventus had said to the younger boy when he had been back in that dark place. "He shouldn't have to suffer more fighting in a war that's taking place centuries after his own time."

"And the Chasers?" asked Roxas. The brown-haired teen said nothing about the similarities between Roxas and Ventus beyond their appearances, but he was still slightly taken aback by the question Roxas had followed up with."

"It is the will of the Three that the Chasers remain in this world to fight. You heard what Coral said in the Midgarian Station of Awakening, Chasers are not related to one another at all. And even their families don't necessarily have the special abilities that the Chasers have. The descendants of the Three on the other hand like you and me possess all the powers the Three have: the innate ability to wield the magical Keyblades and the power over light as Xehanort said when Ventus appeared. It is our duty to protect this world we inherited from the Three and provide Ventus with a swift and easy passage to the next world."

"As well as for the rest of the immortal Chasers," ended Roxas. Sora nodded.

"Come back with me." He held out a hand for the yellow-haired youth to take. "This world needs you." He paused briefly, feeling guilty for what he was about to say. "_I_ need you."

"Do you really?" Sora's Other asked softly. While he doubted Ventus's words regarding himself and Sora, there remained a part of him that believed Ventus's theory—the part that viewed his humanity as an affront to his actual position in society.

"What is it?" the brown-haired teen asked with concern.

"Ventus said that we're not actually in love," Roxas explained. "He said that because we're actually two parts of a person, that's why we're attracted to each other."

"Do you believe him?"

Roxas looked up at Sora and caught his eyes. Sora took in a breath as he found tumultuous emotions swirling in the ice blue eyes. "No," he began, "and yes. I don't know."

"What does your heart tell you?" Sora asked with a soft smile. "When in doubt, always listen to your heart. That's what my mom used to tell me."

"My heart says that Ventus is wrong, but my mind tells me that he's right. I've trusted my logic thus far, why is there such a conflict within me?"

The king of Destiny Islands gave Roxas a look of disbelief before he burst out laughing, earning a frown from the blond-haired teen.

"What's so funny?" he nearly pouted.

"Do you really think logic works with love?" Sora said as he tried to stifle his laughter. "Love is a matter of the heart, not the mind. For you especially, having lived your whole life with cold logic dictating your life, naturally your mind wouldn't work on the same wavelength as your heart when it comes to these things."

"This sucks," murmured Roxas, looking down at his hand that covered his heart. Sora chuckled softly at the younger boy's annoyance.

"Come on," grinned Sora. "Let's go home."

The blonde looked at the brunet's proffered hand and took it with a nod.

"Okay."

* * *

When Sora opened his eyes, he found himself sleeping sitting down with his head over his arms on the bed in which Ventus lied. He yawned and stretched out the cramps in his limbs, grimacing as he tweaked his back. Thinking back on his latest encounter with Roxas, he felt like it was too surreal to have actually happened. Oathkeeper was still in the hands of Aqua after all. He didn't even remember how he came to fall asleep last night either.

He looked out the window to find that first snow had fallen in Nibelheim, blanketing the landscape with a thin layer of white. The fact that winter had arrived made him wonder even more why Bevelle and Midgar ever agreed to Xehanort's plan to attack Nibelheim. The unnecessary loss of life brought a frown to his gaunt face.

A small moan sounded from the bed and Sora quickly turned to stare wide-eyed at the blonde that stirred. Snow from the wintery sky outside swirled in and surrounded Ventus as he, still yet to wake, floated above the bed. The door into the room swung open as Arashi and Aqua entered, alarmed at the strange sight.

"What happened?" Aqua asked loudly, Oathkeeper in her hand immediately.

"I don't know!" Sora shouted past the gale of winds that drowned out the voices. "He was waking up and this happened!"

Lady Arashi simply narrowed her eyes and prepared for the worst.

When the tornado of snow finally dissipated, instead of Ventus that floated upright in the room with his dulled armor, it was the black-robed boy, much to everyone's surprise. None spoke as the teen hovered down and lied back down on the pristine bed. None spoke as the teen stirred once again, slowly opening his eyes to find himself staring at the night-sky inspired ceiling of the room where he rested.

"Roxas!" cried Sora happily, jumping onto the bed to latch onto the rising boy. Aqua stared at her brother with disbelief, her heart wary of the fact that her brother had actually returned after the heartbreaks of losing her brother not once, but twice in her life. Arashi had long since left the room, likely to retrieve the others to verify this miracle.

"I can't believe it," Aqua said softly, reaching for her brother yet afraid that he wasn't actually there despite Sora's embrace of the teen clearly proved that Roxas was there.

"I'm here, Aqua," smiled Roxas, reaching out with one hand to grasp her own. She gasped with surprise at the touch, letting tears of joy spring into her eyes before she joined Sora in embracing the blonde.

"Where is he!? Where is he!?" a voice reached them just as hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor to the open doorway. Within seconds, a group of worried people filed into the room: Terra, the Chasers, Naminé, Kairi, Riku, and Aeris.

"You knucklehead!" the red-haired man exclaimed with mock annoyance, punching his brother in the shoulder. "You made all of us worry!"

"Ow! Hey," the blonde rubbed the shoulder where his brother had punched him. "That hurts."

"Serves you right!" replied Terra.

"It's not my fault this happened," muttered Roxas petulantly.

"I had expected Ventus to fight the enchantment we placed on him," said Mickey, cutting through the heartfelt reunion. "I never expected you to win over Ventus for the control of your body."

"I made a promise that I wouldn't let Ventus the Youngest win without a fight," Roxas replied with a ghost of a smile. "Besides, Ventus seemed to have accepted the fact that this isn't his fight."

"Sounds more like the Ventus I knew," smiled a pale-haired man sporting a Chaser garb. He took a step back when his fellow Chasers all shot him a look. "What?"

"Ventus deserves better than this," Roxas remarked. "He should be here with us."

"He's not alive, Roxas," said Arashi grimly. "His soul might've lived on, but he doesn't exist as a physical entity."

"It is time for us to do something for him instead the other way around," Pan said tersely. "Our debt to him is long since overdue."

The sound of commotion from outside interrupted the relief that they all felt with Roxas's triumph over Ventus in control, thought Arashi still had her doubts regarding the former ruler of Destiny Islands. Mickey went over to the window and looked down at a fist brawl that had erupted between a few of the soldiers of Nibelheim. Cloud and Zack were immediately on scene to break up the fight along with several of the officers.

"The soldiers are getting restless," remarked Riku as he looked over Mickey's head at the brawl.

"Can you blame them?" said Kairi. "Tension has been running high in Nibelheim for a while now. Xehanort's army has been reported but has yet to arrive. There even have been murmurs that this invasion wasn't as large as we made it out to be."

"This is exactly what Xehanort wants to do," Mickey commented. "Sow seeds of distrust amongst the troops. We have to go down there right now." He jumped down from his perch on the window and looked at Sora. "Get Roxas caught up to the current state of affairs. We might need him to defend the place."

"What are you thinking, Mickey?" asked Coral with a frown.

"We might have to leave Nibelheim to meet Xehanort's army," he said, stopping at the door. "This charade has gone on long enough."

Pan and Arashi said nothing before following Mickey out. Sirocco looked at the clearing of the brawl then at his fellow Chaser who was left in the room; Coral gave him a sign that he should leave. He breathed a sigh before running out. Coral gave them a sad smile before leaving as well.

"Roxas," Aeris said with a sigh of relief as she embraced the blond-haired boy.

"Aeris…" the teen replied softly, unsure as to how he should interact with a fellow Nobody.

"You're a lot different than the last time I saw you," commented Naminé with a ghost of a smile upon her face.

"So you've managed to find yourself, right?" the honey blonde-haired woman said as she pulled away.

"More or less," replied Roxas in a mumble.

"You were sleeping for an awfully long time," remarked Naminé as she took a seat next to Aerith on the bed. "We weren't even sure if you would ever wake up."

"How long was I asleep?"

"A little over a week," answered Aqua. The teen stared at her incredulously.

"Didn't seem that long for me," he murmured, thinking back on his conversation with Ventus and the entire journey through the darkness to his short interaction with Sora inside his heart. "It only felt like hours since I talked to Ventus and came back."

"You talked to Ventus?" asked Riku with a frown. Roxas nodded.

"It's the reason why I came to an understanding of my ancestor. It's the reason why I think Ventus deserves a second life."

"This isn't his fight, Roxas," reiterated Terra with a frown.

"I know," replied the blonde with a sigh, "but he's voiced a valid fear of the future. As far as he's concerned, the dynasty of the Three will end with us. It would've been better if he had been allowed to fight to see that just because no one else will be able to wield the true Keyblades once more with our passing, that there will always be someone else out there with the light in their hearts to battle whatever darkness that might befall upon our world."

"He will see it," Kairi said soothingly. "You needn't worry."

"But-" he started, only to be interrupted by Sora.

"Ventus shouldn't have to worry about the future like this," the king of Destiny Islands said, his face unnaturally stony. "It is because of his extended life and the fact that he's been trapped in the darkness for such a long time that's most likely caused such insecurities. When he finally passes into the Promised Land, he will see that the Three cannot control the path this world follows. There will be times of hardship, but there will also be prosperity. The future is not as bleak as he may think it is."

"Never heard such thought-provoking stuff from you, Sora," commented Riku as he tried desperately hard to stifle a snicker, but couldn't.

"Hey, I'm king now," replied Sora with a pout, breaking the seriousness air that he had assumed just a second ago. Both Naminé and Aeris covered their mouths in stifled laughter while Kairi giggled.

"You guys!" he exclaimed exasperatedly in an attempt to quell the laughter, but that only succeeded in making Terra and Aqua laugh before Roxas joined in with snickers of his own.

"Alright Sora," Roxas said placating when the king of Destiny Islands glared at everyone petulantly. "Let's go get something to eat before I starve back into a coma."

* * *

During the quick brunch they had afterwards, Roxas was informed of the situation: of the overthrow of the Shinra family in Midgar, of the alliance between new Midgar and Bevelle, of Xehanort's control over the two countries, and of the imminent invasion of Nibelheim by Xehanort's army.

The group joined the Chasers and the commanders of the Nibelheim and Macalanian armies at the throne room, where a large table was set up over which reports and yellowing maps were strewn. Mickey detailed their plans to engage the enemy beyond the city walls, leaving half of the army to defend the citadel under the command of Zack, Tifa, Pan, and Arashi. The other half of the army would follow the rest of them to meet Xehanort's army head on.

"Roxas," Mickey said directly at the blond-haired boy. "I need you to stay in Nibelheim and defend it." The youth immediately frowned upon the order.

"I can fight," he said vehemently.

"We don't know if Ventus will try to come back if you see Xehanort though," the mouse-lord argued. "We won't be able to handle both Ventus and Xehanort if that happens."

"It won't," Roxas replied tersely. "I gave him my word too. I would make Xehanort pay for all that he's done."

"And if we fail to stop Xehanort's army," Kairi said hypothetically, "you would get the chance."

Sora watched Roxas carefully, noting the stiffness in the younger teen's posture as he took in Mickey's order that was supported by everyone else. He knew that the blonde didn't like the role that the Chaser leader was giving him; after all, Roxas was stubborn to a fault. His own thoughts in this matter were complicated by his own feelings—part of him supported Roxas's decision to want to fight against the man who had landed him in this position with Ventus, the other part of him wanted to hide Roxas away until the end of this war, keep him safe.

"Do you not believe in your own abilities?" Roxas asked grimly after several tense moments, glaring at the mouse with cold fury. "It is you and Coral who had forced Ventus to relinquish his control. Do you not think this barrier will hold?"

"Ventus is much more powerful than the Chasers, the same goes for his siblings," explained Coral. "We managed to catch him off-guard when we placed the restraint upon his soul, but it is only time before Ventus figures out a way to return. If what you said is true, then there's more reason for us to keep you away from the main battlefield. We don't need more incentive for Ventus the Youngest to return to this world. Your encounter with Xehanort might just undo the seal."

"Is there no way to reinforce it?" asked Sora. "No way to keep Ventus separated from Roxas?"

"Does it matter?" the blonde blurted fervently. "Ventus the Youngest has accepted his role in this war. Even if he does come back, he's still focused upon defeating Xehanort. We have the same agenda. He isn't our enemy."

"It is not so much his actions that concern us, Roxas," Arashi stated calmly. "It's the fact that if he returns, it is highly likely that you will share the same fate as him when the time comes for him to pass from this world. Are you willing to sacrifice your life at such a young age? Remember, you have friends and family who care deeply for you."

Those words banished all thoughts of meeting Xehanort in battle. The blue-eyed blonde slowly looked at the people around him, seeing the worry exude clearly from Aqua and Sora; even Terra, who always had an air of unruffled coolness about him in the brief time that Roxas has known him, seemed strangely concerned about his brother's disregard of for his own destruction.

"I understand," the blonde answered blandly, mulling over his choices silently.

"The best scenario would be keeping you away from Nibelheim entirely," Mickey said with a frown. "However, we can't possibly leave you by yourself and there are simply not enough Chasers to keep an eye on you. We still don't know Xehanort's true objectives in attacking Nibelheim. As far as I'm concerned, taking the army out to meet the armies under his control may end in disaster but this is the only course of action we have before we start seeing further discontent within the troops. If you still wish to join us as a part of the offensive strike, then Aerith and her Nobody shall remain in Nibelheim."

"What if Xehanort goes for the forge on his own?" asked Riku. "The fact that the enemy has not arrived despite multiple reports of the army nearing Nibelheim would suggest that the invasion's just a ruse, wouldn't it?'

"It's just a chance that we'll have to take," Zack said, studying the map of Mount Nibel and the location of the ancient forge closely. "Since we need to evacuate the civilians from Nibelheim anyways, we'll take the rest of the army to the ancient forge and protect it. Even Xehanort can't defeat us on his own."

"He might summon Heartless," remarked Terra.

"Arashi and I can handle the Heartless," replied Pan. "We'll send for help if we need it."

Mickey nodded in agreement. "Very well. We'll leave tomorrow morning. You four can decide which troops stay and go," he gestured to the two Nibelheims and two Macalanians, who nodded in understanding.

"I'm going to go check up on Ceres and the others at the End of the World," he continued. "I'll return in an hour."

"Be careful," said Arashi.

"Don't worry," smiled Mickey reassuringly. "If anything, I'd be more worried about you guys. Maybe Xehanort might attack while I'm not here." He stifled a sigh and shook his head. "I shouldn't waste my time." Without another word, Mickey quickly spoke the words to teleport to the other Chasers and concluded the meeting; dismissing everyone from the room.

Roxas remained behind briefly as Tifa and Aerith quickly left with Arashi to discuss the defense of Nibelheim. Cloud and Zack had gone to the castle grounds to survey the armies that remained encamped within the castle walls. Pan and Sirocco had gone with them to help. Kairi had left with Naminé to the garden to calm herself. Riku and Coral were speaking softly on the other side of the room, leaving Sora, Aqua, and Terra to join the blond-haired teen with their concern.

"Roxas, you okay?" Sora questioned with concern, eying the boy who kept his eyes downcast in thought. The blonde looked up at the king of Destiny Islands and frowned.

"What do you think I should do, Sora?" he asked softly.

Sora blinked at Roxas, slightly taken aback by the younger boy's near-request for a command. "I can't be the one to make that decision for you, Roxas."

"But what _do_ you think I should do?" he persisted.

"If it was up to me, I would send you away from this place, away from encountering Xehanort for sure."

"That doesn't answer my question," muttered Roxas unhappily. "Besides, there's nowhere I can go. I can't go back to Twilight Town—that would endanger my parents. Revenant Wings is destroyed. Radiant Garden and Destiny Islands are both potential targets for Xehanort…"

"We can't send Roxas off by himself anyways," commented Coral as she joined them. "Here, at least he's surrounded by other Keyblade wielders capable of going up against Xehanort. If that man finds Roxas by himself, then we doom both Ventus and Roxas to death."

"Or maybe a fate worse than death," suggested Riku. Coral looked at the silver-haired teen with expectations. "Remember what Xehanort said in Twilight Town? The fact that he was going to make Ventus suffer for defeating him in the last war."

"I don't even want to speculate what he might mean by that," Terra said angrily, his hands flexing with eagerness to fight the man that's caused so many tragedies throughout the world.

"I think you should fight, Ven," Aqua said softly. "You told mom that you would come back to us alive and well after this war. You made a promise to her." She looked at Roxas with expectations and a small smile. Roxas's own eyes slightly widened with recollection of the day when he made that promise to his mother over two weeks prior.

"Promises can't save him," muttered Terra darkly.

"No," Sora said. "Promises _will_ save him this time."

"He's right," the Chaser added. "Don't take promises lightly, Terra. It is a promise between the Three that when they got separated from us during the last war that they returned to us even when the chance of their return was slim."

"When Chernobyl swallowed them and disappeared back to the End of the World?" asked Riku. Coral nodded.

"And it is at the End of the World that they found the Nameless Key," murmured Roxas quietly.

"Yes," Coral remarked softly, "but that doesn't matter. What matters is; promises connect people's hearts. And that will bring people back together even in the face of great opposition. With this promise, Ventus might not try to come back."

"Then I shall fight," said Roxas firmly.

"And fight, you shall."

_

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: If you had been keeping up with my collection of drabbles, you'll figure out just why this chapter came out surprisingly late compared to the last update. If you haven't, it is because there was a two week period when I was just working on a Roxas-torture fic that I hadn't originally planned to put it out on FF-dot-net since it didn't have much substance to it. And by working, I mean detailing a couple of long torture scenes. So that threw me off of my usual line of thinking for this fic. But rest assured, I've gotten most of the sadistic ideas all written and it'll probably awhile before I go back and work more on that fic._

_This chapter is definitely much shorter than the previous chapter, but I didn't want you guys to wait any longer than you already had, so I ended there. Besides, the next chapter will deal—predictably, if I may say so myself—with the entire battle for Nibelheim much like the one in Wutai. However, it wouldn't just be a straight battle chapter, but rather a combination of interactions between Roxas and Sora, Roxas and the other two Nobodies, and Sora and his friends and comrades. I look forward to the day when I finish the chapter and post the update._

_I originally had planned for Ventus to speak in Middle English like Hojo at the Midgarian Station of Serenity, but ultimately chose not to partly because I was lazy but also partly because I needed to convey Ventus's beliefs clearly. So to make up for that, I added a version of Tolkien's Elvish, also known as the Grey Company's Elvish (Grelvish if you would), as his first lines when Roxas encounters him. That line means: "Sons of snakes. Cowardly dogs, they disgust me. How dare they do this to me!?" Other than that, it's the only reference I've made in this chapter._

_As usual, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave a review. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and have a Happy New Year!_


	20. Burning Love, Fading Light

_To reviewers of chapter 18 and others:_

_DarkBombayAngel: At least Mickey ended up honoring Roxas's decision and allowed him to go fight. He acknowledged that Roxas isn't as weak in spirit as the Chasers originally thought. Of course, that doesn't mean that Ventus the Youngest won't show up again in the fic. I guess I would be predictable like that, right? Haha._

_NinjaShiek: Here's the update. Hope you enjoyed._

_LupinandHarry: I don't actually know Grelvish either, XP. I just referred to the website, hehe. And to be honest, I don't even really know the official Tolkien Elvish either. The reason why I used Grelvish rather than Tolkien Elvish is, well, you can't really cuss in Tolkien Elvish. You'd have to speak Orcish to cuss… lol._

_Azuresapphire15: Actually, Xehanort's the Heartless, hehe. And glad to know you really liked Roxas and Sora getting back together, XD._

_nescafe: Thank you very much. I don't know any German (besides the STRUUUUUUUUUUUUDEL from Neon Genesis Evangelion, lol), but I know just exactly what you're thinking. I'm sure there are a lot of rather uninteresting/similar ideas out there for English fanfics compared to fics in other languages. Maybe I'll actually try to read a fic in Mandarin sometimes, hehe._

_mame: Why, thank you, XD._

_Blaid: Vanitas is probably not going to show up in the fic at this current moment. Though, like I said before, nothing is completely concrete yet, haha._

_AndreaAras26: It's one of my favorite chapters too. I think it's just the idea that it's dark, but it's not so dark that it's just an entire chapter of intense emotions. And of course, afterwards, I followed up with a fluffy chapter in obvious juxtaposition of mood, haha._

_Rokurei: Haha. Well, they will, but that's as much as I'll say right now (wink)._

_Purgatory of Endless Twilight: Unfortunately, I simply don't have the time to update that often without giving up on quality of the chapters. And I'm not one to put out poor quality chapters nowadays and I hope you'll understand. I'll apologize ahead of time for you having to wait a long time between updates._

_

* * *

Recap thus far: What originally started as a tour of discovery for Prince Sora of Destiny Islands through the world quickly turned into a quest to accomplish what his ancestors had originally set out to do a millennium ago—to severe the pathway between their world and that of the Heartless. The journey is further complicated with his own feelings for his Nobody, Roxas, who was considered the perfect Nobody, a person without feelings and dedicated to the protection of his master. With Roxas, Sora traveled from Midgar to Radiant Garden, Revenant Wings, Wutai, and back to Destiny Islands with the death of his father. Thrust into the kingship without further preparation, Sora chose to sever his ties with Roxas, freeing him from his service, but at the same time straining their relationship further. It wasn't until the whole truth surrounding Roxas is revealed that the relationship between Roxas and Sora are mended, starting with the former Nobody's rediscovery of himself and the consequent understanding he and his ancestor shared. Now, with the once-Chaser nation under siege from Xehanort and his allies, Sora and Roxas must help protect Nibelheim, lest the world fell into darkness once again._

* * *

**Chapter 19 – Burning Love, Fading Light**

* * *

Roxas leaned against the open window staring down at the city that did not fall asleep like the majority of the troops stationed within the castle. The sounds of hooves and squeaky wheels reached his ears softly from the thoroughfares of the villages that surrounded the fortress, accompanying a long procession of refugees. Children, women, and men who weren't able to take up arms to defend their beloved home were slowly making their way through the soon-to-be empty villages and into the mountains escorted by several of the soldiers that were assigned to defend Nibelheim castle and the ancient forge within the mountain. Surprisingly, the noise was minimum, not waking any soldiers who needed all of their energy for the next day's march.

The brief snow that fell during the day had blanketed the entire region with a layer of white that had already begun to melt, clearly making the progress difficult as Roxas espied people slipping through the muddy slush. The former Nobody knew that the procession would continue throughout the night, escorted by more soldiers until the majority of the defenders reached their final destination within Mount Nibel. In the middle of the procession was a small legion of horsemen led by the black-haired prince consort of Macalania.

The blonde watched until Zack rode out of his sight before he breathed a sigh and stepped away from his previous spot at the window. Donning a set of light armor bearing the Nibelheim crest, Roxas was in essence a commander within the Nibelheim army rather than an ally of the kingdom. That was all fine and dandy with Sora, who preferred some semblance of freedom for his newly reconciled lover—even though the pair weren't sharing a room just yet.

Roxas returned to his bed where he had spent the past week lying unconscious and tried to sleep, but he was too restless. He sat back up and tousled his hair with a frustrated grunt, almost storming out of his room noisily to take a stroll through the back gardens in an attempt to calm himself. Besides, he had been cooped up inside for far too long.

"Roxas?" Sora whispered softly as he found the younger teen hurrying down the corridor upon opening his door. Abandoning his previous intention of visiting the Nibelheim library, Sora quietly followed his former Nobody down the path the youth took, nearly losing him when Roxas entered into the green labyrinthine back gardens.

He found the teen seated next to the fountain that served as the focal point for the greenery. His vision seemed distant as he dipped his fingers into the water, not bothered by the freezing temperature of the clear liquid.

"You know you shouldn't be here by yourself," commented Sora as he took a seat next to the blonde, lifting the boy's hand up from the water. "Your hand's freezing," he added, holding his hand tightly to warm it up.

"I couldn't sleep," Roxas said flatly, his eyes still having that distant look within. "I feel restless."

Sora looked at Roxas expectantly. "Why? This isn't any different from the battle at Wutai or that at Radiant Garden. You shouldn't be this worked up."

"Sora," the former Nobody said staring at the brown-haired teen. "You know as well as I do what Xehanort's capable of. If the Chasers are correct in their speculation, then there is a lot more at stake in this fight than just the survival of a kingdom. It's a much larger enemy that we're facing."

"Then we shouldn't detract from how we usually approach these things," argued Sora, standing up in a passion. "Yes, our main enemy this time is Xehanort and the Heartless and the Naughts that he will most likely summon, but to get all worked up over it would mean a quicker defeat at his hand. You have to remember that you're still human. You need to rest like everyone else."

"I've done enough resting," Roxas murmured belligerently.

"No," frowned Sora, shaking his head. "That's not resting. Come on," he extended his hands out to Roxas again. "I'll help you go sleep."

The tone of voice that Sora used piqued the blonde's curiosity and the former Nobody looked at his companion with a raised eyebrow, causing Sora to blush lightly.

"Very well," Roxas answered, taking Sora's hand. The brown-haired teen smiled brilliantly at Roxas's acceptance and led the younger teen back to the castle, bringing him to his room across the hall rather than the blonde's own.

A small fire continued to crackle in the fireplace in Sora's spacious room, which overlooked the private garden filled with various local flowers rather than the township from Roxas's room. A jug of mead and a set of glasses were set on a table near the fireplace, where a hot poker had been placed.

"Care for some mulled mead?" Sora asked as he made for the jug.

"Let me get it," Roxas said out of habit, taking the jug of mead from Sora before pouring two glasses of the alcoholic drink. The precision with which Roxas poured the drinks brought back Sora's first memories of meeting his Nobody—the liquid levels were exactly the same and not one drop was spilled.

"Do you remember that first week when you came to me?" Sora started as he continued to stare mesmerized at the now bubbling drinks. Roxas replaced the cooled poker back in the coals before offering a glass of the mulled mead to the king of Destiny Islands.

"Of course," replied the blonde as he picked up his own glass to drink. "It was… eight months and 22 days ago."

"That precise huh?" mused Sora with a raised eyebrow.

"Force of habit," smiled Roxas.

"Do you understand why I wished for you to change now?"

"I wasn't… human… I didn't have the emotions that made a human."

"More like you weren't living," replied Sora. "But for me to love you, I needed you to be human. I needed you to understand my feelings for you not as your master, but as someone who cared for you a lot."

"Is our love true?" Roxas asked seriously as he sat down in a wooden chair next to the table. Sora blinked at the teen with surprise.

"What brought that up?" he asked, taking a seat as well.

"Have you forgotten what I told you at the beach?"

"The beach?" parroted Sora thoughtlessly. "The Kids' Island?"

"That was real, not just a dream. We had that conversation."

"Why bring it back up?" frowned Sora. "I thought you had set aside your logic in regards to love."

"I don't know," the blonde said uncertainly. "I'm just not sure."

"Well, I'll be there for you however long it takes for you to figure it out. I know that you are a caring person deep down, even when you were just a Nobody. Yes, I got frustrated with you at times and made terrible decisions because of my impatience, but know that I will always stand by you regardless of who you are."

"Shouldn't it be _me_ who stands by you?" smirked Roxas.

"And would that make any difference?" laughed Sora. "I don't think Ventus had this in mind when he believed that we were two parts of one person."

"That's because we're not," retorted Roxas.

"Indeed, that we are not," beamed Sora. "Come on, I'm getting tired and I know you should be too."

With a blush, Roxas followed the brunet and got into bed with the king, letting Sora wrap his arms about him in a protective gesture. Slowly, feeling secure after all the things that happened around him, Roxas drifted off to a peaceful sleep, snuggling into Sora's embrace.

* * *

By the time dawn finally arrived in Nibelheim, the settlement around the castle was completely empty—no civilian was left behind. The last of the defenders had just passed beyond the village boundaries and began their trek up the path into Mount Nibel. With the departure of the defenders, the capital of Nibelheim became like a ghost town, silence blanketed the entire city for a brief few minutes before soldiers began to wake as the sun rose in the distant horizon.

Within Sora's room, the king of Destiny Islands moaned softly in his sleep, closing his eyes tightly as soft light shone upon his face. He shifted in the bed, his arms contacting only the cotton sheets and not the boy that had been in his protective embrace. Alarmed at the absence of Roxas, the brown-haired teen's eyes snapped open and he quickly sat up, his eyes scanning the room in a panic before he found the blonde reentering the room from the attached bathroom.

Roxas raised his eyebrows at the red flush upon his love and the wild look within the sapphire blue eyes.

"Are you okay, Sora?" he inquired, rushing over to Sora's side to touch the teen's forehead, as though he suspected the older youth was down with some illness. His hands sensed nothing was wrong, however, which made Roxas wonder even more.

"I'm fine," Sora rasped out a reply, grimacing at the coarseness of his voice. He cleared his throat and smacked his lips. "I was worried that you left," he added with his usual voice clear of any ill effects.

"I'll be here," smiled the younger boy, patting one of Sora's hands. "I just left to use the toilet, that's all." He yawned sleepily and got back into bed, snuggling back into Sora's embrace when the brown-haired teen wrapped his arms about him like he did the previous night.

"I wish we didn't have to go today," murmured Sora.

"I wish that too, Sora," replied Roxas.

The pair lied in the warm bed for several moments in silence, each enjoying the comforting presence of one another. Neither fell back to sleep; only letting the present soothe their fears. For within their hearts, a fear that their time together wouldn't last remained, punctuated by the complication of the soul of Ventus the Youngest dwelling within Roxas's heart.

As the castle stirred, the sounds of cooking utensil clanging against large pots and the smell of a hearty stew wafted up into their room. Distant voices cut into the protective veil the two boys shared and they knew that it was time to accept the new day and march towards a distant battlefield.

With a sigh, Sora reluctantly began to get up from where he lied on the bed to get ready for the new day. Before he even left the bed however, Roxas's hand quickly reached towards Sora's arm closest to him and pulled him down, his other hand guiding the other teen to meet his lips in a kiss.

The brunet's eyes widened with surprise at the unexpected meeting of their lips before he melted into Roxas's embrace. He licked the younger boy's lips gently, coaxing them to part, which the boy did so shyly before pulling away.

"Our mouths smell nasty," Roxas commented as he wrinkled his nose at the smell of morning breath.

Sora laughed heartedly, falling on his back when the blonde left his side on the bed. His laughter continued even after Roxas returned, having cleaned his teeth with a paste whilst in the bathroom. The brunet didn't know why he found it so funny, but he simply couldn't stop laughing. It felt as though he was releasing all the tension he's held in for the past month or however long it had been since Boco's death. The former Nobody was almost afraid of the hysterical teen when he returned, though concern was first and foremost on his mind.

After several minutes had passed, Sora finally began to calm down, his laughter reduced into a fit of giggles and snickers before completely passing. The brunet breathed a sigh of relief, letting the cloud of euphoria buoy his spirits.

"I don't think I've ever laughed so hard before," he confessed.

"I think you just managed to use up your share of laughs for the rest of your life," Roxas remarked with amusement. Sora immediately sat up with a pout.

"Did not," he shot back immediately. "I just used up whatever I didn't use for the past month!"

"It was rather trying on both of us, wasn't it?"

Sora simply nodded, making his way over to the bathroom to get freshen up. Roxas stood leaning against the doorframe silently, watching Sora the entire time and smiling when the king looked at him in the mirror.

After cleaning his teeth, washing his face, and making sure his hair was looking like it usually does, Sora turned to look at Roxas with a beaming smile upon his face.

"What brought about the sudden kiss?" Sora asked with a grin, which grew wider when Roxas blushed.

"It felt right at the moment," the younger boy murmured his reply, looking downwards in an attempt to hide his blush, but Sora could see the embarrassment as clear as day with the reddened ears.

"Just like this feels right at this moment," the brown-haired teen said softly as he lifted the Roxas's face up and closed the distance between the two.

The feathery contacts between the lips encouraged Roxas to part his lips and let his tongue boldly enter into Sora's orifice. The king of Destiny Island wasn't about to let Roxas remain dominant, however, and battled the invader with his own tongue, chuckling as the pair dueled it out in the kiss. Each boy could taste the other's essence underneath the minty cleaning paste. Though simple words could describe how each boy tasted to his lover, neither one felt the descriptors did justice to the true essence of the other. To Sora, Roxas tasted like Roxas; and to Roxas, Sora tasted like Sora. And that was the way they'd keep it.

The passionate kiss was their first true kiss and both put all of their souls into the act, knowing that this love of theirs will continue to last even if they were separated.

A knock on the door went unnoticed as the two teens continued to share their love in the union of their lips. The door opened and an embarrassed squeak followed by a "Sorry!" met their ears. The two teens finally broke away and turned to see Kairi blushing madly with Naminé staring speechlessly at the sight that she had just beheld. Riku was just entering the room with a look of confusion upon his face before he looked at Sora and Roxas standing in a doorway. Upon closer inspection, he picked up the flush that was more than from embarrassment and the swollen lower lips, both hints of the moment of passion between the two boys, and blushed as well.

"We didn't mean to interrupt," Riku commented as the two girls standing next to him seemed too out of it to make any comment. "But uh, good for you, Sora. You finally got through to him, eh?"

Sora blushed at Riku's statement. "Actually," he scratched the back of his head, "Roxas was the one who started it." He jabbed the younger teen lightly in the side with an elbow.

"You make it sound like it's a bad thing," scoffed Roxas.

"Aww, I'm so happy for you guys!" exclaimed Kairi before she skipped over and threw her arms around both teens.

"Your Highness," Naminé said softly, blushing at her mistress's girlish behavior. "You're going to lose your bet to Lady Jessie."

Kairi pulled away from the two boys and looked at her Nobody with a raised eyebrow before she remembered her bet with her tutor back in Radiant Garden: the one that stated she would act like proper for a whole year after her next birthday. If she had lost, then she wasn't going to go to Traverse Academy. Not a big loss to Kairi when her life had taken such a detour with the Keyblades and all.

"Meh," she said. "It's worth it. Besides, you won't tell her, would you?" she continued with a grin.

"Maybe," Naminé replied with a small smile. Kairi's jaw dropped at the younger girl.

"You're going to blackmail me!" she exclaimed in playful disbelief. Riku laughed at the exchange between the two.

"Guess you don't know your Nobody as well as you thought, eh?" he teased, throwing a playful punch at the redhead's shoulder. The princess simply pouted.

"Is… there something I don't know about you guys?" Sora asked with confusion, looking from Kairi to Riku to Naminé and back to Kairi again.

"Looks like a love triangle," commented Roxas bluntly. Everyone stared at him with shock. "What?" he said defensively, "it is!"

"What, no!" exclaimed Kairi, though the blush on her face seemed to suggest otherwise.

"You have no tact, Roxas," pouted Naminé.

"We need to teach you some manners, love," Sora remarked, pecking the yellow-haired teen on the lips.

"Seriously," muttered Kairi petulantly.

"Anyways," began Riku, clearing his throat. "Breakfast's ready and we'll be heading out."

"I hope Nibelheim will be fine," Naminé said worriedly, looking out of the window to look at the landscape and the city itself.

"Even if the city is destroyed, as long as her people lives, she will survive. It might take years, even a generation before the countryside's back to its original pristine condition, but it will be beautiful once again," replied Riku.

"Yeah, don't worry, Naminé," Kairi said happily, wrapping a comforting arm about the slightly younger girl's shoulder. "It'll be alright."

"Come on," she continued with a smile. "Let's go get breakfast. We'll need all the energy we can get to get through this day."

"Yes we do," Riku echoed grimly, looking out of the window at the darkened horizon.

* * *

Reunited with the black-feathered Chocobo from his battle at Wutai, Roxas felt comforted by the majestic beast upon which he sat. Next to him, Sora sat upon the golden Chocobo named Shim, who had warbled softly when he saw the brown-haired king, undoubtedly remembering the royal youth as the rider of his best friend. Behind them, Aqua and Terra sat on Evelin and Zavi, both black Chocobos and, as Roxas found out that morning, lifelong mates. Aqua seemed more distracted than usual while Terra seemed much more relaxed. Roxas supposed that it was due to the fact that he had gone back to Twilight Town to check up on his family and their parents the previous evening after they had all parted from the meeting.

At the head of the army was Cloud, seated upon a large golden Chocobo, coincidentally also named Fenrir like the Keyblade. Next to him, Mickey Mouse sat on a smaller golden Chocobo. On either side of the two were Sirocco and Coral, both on black Chocobos donning Mythril-infused armors. Lastly, Riku, Kairi, and Naminé rounded out the Chocobo riders, following Aqua and Terra. Behind them all, the horse riders trotted along with the flagbearers, wielding the pennants of Nibelheim, Destiny Islands, Twilight Town, Radiant Garden, and Macalania. And behind the horse riders were the footmen carrying their weapons that ranged from the usual sword, bow and arrow, to the spears and polearms. Behind the foot soldiers were caravans of supplies for a quick base camp, food stuffs, and healing supplies. They were well prepared for a distant battle, knowing full well that the city might be attacked while they were away.

The sun hadn't even reached its wintery zenith when the army reached the fort at Baren Falls, stopping when scouts returned with reports that the enemy army was headed in their direction. The commanders of the army rode up to the cliff's edge next to the waterfall to look down at the plain that stretched miles in front of them, interrupted only by the river that wound through the plains before disappearing into the woods to the east. A dust cloud rolled in the distance, too large and slow to suggest that there was a stampede. Cloud pulled out his spyglass and looked at the black dots, finding the distorted crest of Midgar upon a flag.

"It's them," he said with a frown. "The scouts were right."

"Is the fort safe to stay in?" Aqua asked with concern. Though the fort itself was well a ways away from the edge of the cliffs, the precarious looking precipice bothered her.

"It was built just after the Chaser civilization faded into history," Cloud said as he looked back at the distant flags that flew over the topmost tower in the fort. "It's seen enough of battles."

"I don't know…" the blue-haired woman said softly, eying the flags warily.

"What is it, Aqua?" Roxas asked, trying to soothe his sister.

"I have a feeling that something bad is going to happen. That we shouldn't stay in there."

"It's the safest place we can be without exposing us to the open and have our backs against a fatal fall," Cloud said grimly.

"We can use the fort as a decoy," suggested Sora. "Hide the army in the forest. Leave your best men in the fort on the wall walks. Let them think that we're holed up in the fort."

"Put some traps near the cliffs too. We can rain arrows down on them when they approach," said Terra.

"That's _if_ they approach," remarked Roxas. "We shouldn't have left Nibelheim," he added softly, mostly to himself.

"They will," said Mickey grimly. "Xehanort wants this world to die for the Heartless to thrive. He'll take every chance he gets to kill more people."

The riders took another look at the growing wave of glinting grey under the sun.

"Let's get back. We'll need to hurry if we're to ambush them in the forest," said Cloud. "They'll be here before the sun reaches the midway point between the zenith and the horizon."

The others nodded in agreement and quickly turned to gallop back to the fort sans any other exchange of words.

* * *

Compared to the other battles he's found himself in, Sora found this one to be the most taxing. The combined armies of Bevelle and Midgar were much larger than the one that invaded Wutai during their latest battle. Not even the number of Heartless and Naughts that appeared in Twilight Town just over a week ago matched the sheer numbers that were employed by the enemy commanders to conquer Nibelheim.

It didn't surprise Sora when during the battle, instead of blood spurting out from a deep wound, a black swirl had met his blade as Soldier Heartless discarded their disguises only to be destroyed under the king's magical weapon. He knew that there were Heartless mingling in amongst the humans, but there was no way for them to figure out just how many of their enemies were Heartless as the human soldiers themselves could've become Heartless as well.

He wiped away the blood that bled from a gash across his forehead just above his left eyebrow during a brief pause in battle. He was fortunate that he hadn't suffered a more grievous wound when a flaming boulder came crashing down on the forest around them, fired by an enemy catapult after the first of the armies had begun forming up in front of the fort.

The brief pause was as said, just a brief pause, before Sora returned to the fight, incapacitating the various soldiers bearing Bevellese or Midgarian crest. Somewhere to his left, he could see Roxas cutting down another wave of soldiers while riding his Chocobo. Sora had opted to let his own Chocobo fight without carrying another burden, though at that moment, he wished he had a higher vantage point to locate the rest of his friends.

Even with their best efforts, the king of Destiny Islands knew that they were severely outnumbered. Though the Nibelheim and Macalanian soldiers appeared to be much more skilled in battle than their enemy counterparts, the number of the defenders was slowly dwindling. Not as fast as the number of invaders, but it was enough that the idea of retreat lingered within their minds.

Another wave of soldiers and more men fell at Sora's feet, either wounded or dead from the veteran fighter's counterattacks. Suddenly, his back bumped into someone and the brown-haired teen turned around abruptly only to find Kairi having done the same. She didn't look any worse for the wear than Sora did; a few scratches here and there, but otherwise in much better condition than the king of Destiny Islands.

"Have you seen Riku or Naminé?" she asked worriedly as she fought off another attack. "We got separated."

"No," replied Sora with regret. "I'm sure they're fine."

"Kairi! Sora!" shouted Riku as he made his way over to them riding his Chocobo. Kairi's eyes widened with fear upon seeing the figure that was slung across the body of the Chocobo in front of Riku.

"Naminé!" she cried, fighting her way over to Riku and her Nobody.

"Take Naminé and my Chocobo back to the fort, Kairi," Riku said, jumping off for the princess to get on. The redhead nodded solemnly and quickly mounted, sending the Chocobo in a gallop through the battlefield back to the fort.

"We won't survive this the longer that we're out here," the silver-haired teen said softly to his friend as they fought their way to Roxas, pondering leading the Nibelheim and Macalanian soldiers around them back towards the fort.

"We can survive this," Sora said, shutting his left eye when blood began to seep into his vision. "We have to." He brought the Ultima Keyblade up and allowed it to glow with light.

"Will it work?" frowned Riku, bringing his own blade up as well. "We don't know if there are any Heartless left."

"We have to try," answered the brunet firmly. Riku nodded in understanding before light erupted from their Keyblades. In synchrony, the two Keyblades swung through the air in a wide arc, sending blades of light everywhere. It was of no surprise to Roxas that the attack affected only the enemies, whose hearts were bleak with the darkness of the Heartless. Several disguised Heartless disintegrated into dark dust with the coordinated attacks while their human counterparts fell silently under the light.

After the light had faded from their final attack, only soldiers of Nibelheim and Macalania stood standing within a fifty yard radius of the two Keyblade wielders, each one more confused than the next as they stopped in their fights to look around for an explanation.

A horn sounded from far off in the direction of the fort.

"Back to the fort!" Sora shouted to the men around him. Shim warbled in greeting as he came striding across the body-strewn battleground.

"Roxas, let Riku take Alita," the brunet said tersely. "Ride with me on Shim."

The blonde nodded silently, dismounting Alita swiftly to allow the prince of Twilight Town to get on. He reached up to grab Sora's proffered arm and got onto Shim behind the king.

"Meet you back at the fort," grinned Riku roguishly in an attempt to lighten the tense mood before he led Alita off to the right.

Sora snorted with brief amusement at his friend's rather ill timing to lift their spirits. Still, he couldn't help but feel encouraged by Riku's uncharacteristic optimism—that they would survive and triumph over evil in this war. He supposed that his friend was being more buoyant when he, typically the more optimistic of the two boys, had lost his hopeful views of the world since his father's death.

"Sora?" Roxas prodded him softly, concern laced within his tenor voice.

Shaking off the melancholy that threatened to still his actions, Sora set Shim on a run in the opposite direction that Riku went, letting Roxas and Shim deal with the enemies that dared to get in their way.

"Back to the fort!" he called out at the various stragglers that remained on the battlefield even after the horn had been sounded multiple times since that first call. Whether the soldiers were trying to be heroic and do their best to protect their homeland or foolish enough to have thoughts of grandeur, Sora didn't care to speculate. What he did know was that the soldiers eventually abandoned their fights to return back to the fort.

Once they were near the garrison, Roxas jumped off of the Chocobo to aid in the fight to push back the enemies as they neared the open gate into the fort. Sora joined in the effort as well, taking advantage of his higher ground upon Shim.

"Get out of there!" Cloud shouted at the defenders who remained outside the fort, gesturing wildly for his comrades to return. Sora nodded before scanning across the battlefield for any more soldiers making their way back to the fort. Only after he found no more soldiers returning did he turn Shim back to the fortress, the last to pass through the heavy wooden doors before they were shut and barricaded.

"Go to the assembly room," the general of Nibelheim said, grabbing a hold of Shim's reins while Sora dismounted. "Mickey needs both of you there."

"Okay," Sora replied. He hurried through the chaotic order within the bailey of the citadel, as wounded soldiers lied against the wall with healers treating the various wounds. They passed across the inner wall of the fort and entered into the assembly hall.

The royal blue carpet that once ran down the center of the room had been rolled up. On the stone floor, a runic circle had been drawn, the inscription just inside the outermost circle written in a language that neither Sora nor Roxas recognized. The Chasers were finishing up the rest of the circle with white chalk while the rest of the descendants of the Three stood off to the side.

Roxas's eyes immediately noted the bandages upon his sister's face. She looked like she was on the verge of collapsing had Terra not been supporting her.

"What happened?" he asked with alarm, scanning over Aqua for any other injuries, but underneath the light armor that she donned, he couldn't see the near-fatal wound.

"It's nothing," she said, trying to smile reassuringly.

"Stop trying to be strong, Aqua. You could've died," Terra scowled at his stubborn sister before looking at Roxas. "You know that Aqua the Middle was considered the fairest in all of history, right?"

The blonde's eyes widened with realization. Sora's face blanched at where the question was leading.

"Scarlet," the king said with shock. Terra nodded.

"Where is that woman now?" seethed Roxas. His hands balled up into fists as he itched to get his hands on that despicable woman.

"Hiding behind the ranks of Midgarian soldiers by the time I reached Aqua. You're not the only one who's pissed off by this," Terra murmured. Aqua winced and whimpered, for in his passion, her older brother inadvertently pressed down too hard on an unhealed wound. "Sorry," he murmured apologetically.

"And you'll get your chance at her," said Mickey once the circle was complete. The lines that were drawn with the limestone chalk suddenly lost the chalky look, the lines etched into the stone floor with shimmering light. The Chasers stepped back from the glowing circle and breathed a sigh collectively.

"What's this?" Sora asked, intrigued by the magical aura that emanated from the runic circle as it called for his presence.

"An ancient spell that will add another layer of fortification to this place," the mouse-lord said. "It uses similar magic as Levan, keeping up a barrier to prevent Heartless from getting through. It'll give us an edge should the outer walls fail."

"But to make it work, you guys have to complete the spell," said Coral."

"What do we do?" asked Riku.

"Just stand on the circle," Coral smiled. "Your hearts will tell you what to do."

Roxas and Terra looked at each other with slight skepticism while Sora didn't hesitate to move into the circle. Instantly, he could feel a tingling in his blood, the magic within him attuning to the magic of the rune. Riku and Kairi stepped onto the rune next, with the silver-haired prince helping the redhead as she was still distracted by her Nobody's injury.

"Let's go," said Aqua, urging her brother to help her in. She breathed a sigh of relief as the discomforts of her wounds faded unexpectedly with the magic around her. She stepped away from her brother's support and smiled serenely, closing her eyes to sway with the invisible wind.

Lastly, Roxas stepped onto the rune, completing the circle. The light underneath their feet grew brighter as the sextet held hands, wind swirling around them gently. The hum of magic built up within them and words bubbled from their mouths simultaneously.

"By the people that give us strength," they intoned in synchrony, "by the world that gave us life. We, of the Three of the light, call forth the powers within our hearts. We call forth the barrier to defend this land from evil. Shield us from the Darkness. Come! Protectga Alexander!"

The image of an iron fortress appeared over the citadel as the spell completed, causing many to gasp and stare at awe of the majestic creature before the image faded away. A spark of light glowed in the air at the center of the circle, brightening until a varicolored shield expanded rapidly from the miniature star, passing through everyone and everything until the expansion came to a stop several feet away from the outer wall, creating a bubble barrier around the fort. The barrier shimmered in a kaleidoscope of colors for several seconds longer before no one could see it any longer, but somehow they were all able to sense the presence of the magical shield.

Murmurs swept through the fort like a wildfire once the initial surprise passed. Most were of curiosity—who, what, and how primarily—while others sang praises of hope with the magical shield. The older people, primarily lead healers and advisors to General Cloud, recognized the magical signature as the one of the Three and exulted with hope that the Three had returned from death.

The light faded with soft bells tinkling in the air. The six slumped to the ground in boneless heaps, their energies completely exhausted from the day's battle and the unfamiliar casting of the spell. Luckily, the Chasers were there to catch them before they fell hard to the ground and injured themselves further. Of course, Mickey, having the smallest stature, had considerable problem even with catching Aqua and Kairi while Coral supported Riku and Sora, leaving Sirocco to catch Terra and Roxas.

Cloud strode into the room in a hurry, having seen the spectacle that just occurred in the sky outside. He stopped in his tracks just after entering upon seeing the six unconscious figures being laid down on the ground. Without wasting any time, he called for soldiers to bring the sleeping six to the barracks where Naminé rested, making certain that they were safe before he returned to question the Chasers of the shield.

* * *

As Roxas opened his eyes for the first time after casting that exhausting spell, he felt like he had slept for the entire day when only a few hours had passed. Night had fallen on the citadel and the smell of burnt wood permeated through the air from the torches that lined the stone walls.

He sat up and looked around, finding Kairi already up and sitting at Naminé's bedside in a silent vigil. Aqua was already up and about as well, though the blonde didn't see her in the barracks.

"How is she?" Roxas asked, standing next to Kairi and looking down with concern at Naminé's prone form.

"She'll be fine. They managed to purge everything that the enemy gave her to sedate her," replied Kairi softly.

"What happened?" he asked hesitantly, unsure if the princess of Radiant Garden wished to disclose the unsavory details that led to Naminé's condition.

"Apparently," Kairi started bitterly, "Heidegger had the bright idea to bring Naminé back to Midgar with him as a gift for Don Corneo."

"Don Corneo?" Roxas raised an eyebrow in question.

"You don't want to know." He simply nodded in understanding.

"Riku saw the entire thing but only managed to reach her after they had already begun taking her back to their camp." Kairi looked down at her hands, clenching them tightly. "I should've been there for her. I was too sloppy."

"It's an unfortunate effect of war," replied Roxas, hoping to console the redhead who was wallowing in self-guilt. "We may have strategies and plans, but when time comes and the two sides meet head on, order flies out the window; especially in the battles for Nibelheim with so much emotion dictating our actions."

Kairi breathed a sigh. "Perhaps, but that doesn't excuse my lapse."

"You know, I always thought us Nobodies were overprotective of our masters. I never thought that our masters would be overprotective of us as well. I always thought that our lives weren't worth saving; that our masters shouldn't be concerned with our welfare."

At this, Kairi giggled softly. "For some people with Nobodies, that might be the case. But Nobodies are resilient and have always managed to return to their masters. And the longer they stay with their masters, the closer the pair gets. You won't see many people who have Nobodies treat them like dirt, knowing full well how devoted their Nobodies are to them."

Roxas knew that he couldn't argue with that. He nodded with a hum and looked about him again, seeing various injured soldiers resting in the cots. The wooden doors leading into the barracks was closed to keep out the chill and three fireplaces continued to crackle with burning logs.

"Aqua's probably on the wall-walk," the princess commented as she resumed her vigil over Naminé. "She's a lot better than she looks."

"Thanks," replied Roxas. He made his way out of the barracks, making sure the doors were closed behind him, and breathed in the cool night air. He looked around and found various tents set up in the baileys with soldiers resting within. Other sturdier soldiers, notably ones from Macalania were simply wrapped up in heavy cloaks and blankets, resting upright against the stone wall. Not all were resting however.

Several soldiers, both men and women alike, walked over the wall-walk to keep a vigilant watch for any sign of a night-time battle. Occasionally, they'll see the invisible shield shimmer when a Heartless threw itself at the barrier, only to disintegrate into dark dust. Beyond that, there was no activity from the enemy.

Roxas found Cloud standing on the wall-walk overlooking the main gate, staring intently at the campfire dots in the distance. A look of worry was etched upon the older man's face.

"Any movement from them?" Roxas asked without preamble. Cloud looked at the former Nobody in acknowledgement before returning to his watch.

"None from the Midgarian or Bevellese armies," he answered. "Barrier's been doing its work with the Heartless though."

"I'm surprised Xehanort hasn't tried to just come in and summon Heartless within the barrier," the teen commented, looking about inspecting the empty air.

"That's because Xehanort is a Heartless," answered Mickey as he joined the pair at the wall-walk. He leaped onto a crenel of the battlement, looking into the distance like Cloud was doing. "He is the first instance of someone who is able to keep their individuality and mind after losing his heart. It's because of this that makes him that much more dangerous."

"Where did his heart go?" frowned Roxas.

"Consumed by the realm of the Heartless," the mouse-lord replied. "You can see why the Heartless is invading this world."

"Too many people with hearts to fuel their existence," answered Cloud. "That's why there is the Nameless Key. Our world is tied with that of the Heartless."

"Yes and no," said Mickey. "Our world is tied only to the extent we allow them to be connected. We couldn't seal off the Heartless from our world when the Three were around wasn't because we didn't try, but because we had no idea what needed to be done. We do now."

"And it has something to do with the Nameless Key," Roxas said tersely. Mickey nodded solemnly.

"What will happen to us?" the golden-haired boy asked softly, a latent fear making his voice waver. Though he didn't specify who "us" was, Mickey knew exactly who Roxas referred to.

"I don't know," Mickey answered. Doubt ate at his heart, feeding into the self-loathing he felt at that exact moment when he felt like he should know what happens to the two teens. Perhaps it was a denial of a possible bleak ending that kept him from the knowledge. "I-"

"General!" came a shout as a soldier hurried over the wall-walk. "An airship approaches from the east!"

"Sierra?" Cloud asked with guarded hope.

"That's what the signal stated," replied the Nibelheim soldier. Cloud nodded solemnly.

"Wake the fort. We have to be prepared just in case it's a ruse."

"Yes sir!" the man saluted before rushing off to announce the approaching airship.

"Reinforcements from Rocket Town would be a godsend," the general of Nibelheim said. "Perhaps we can get the army out of here and return to Nibelheim as well."

"That's assuming Xehanort hasn't attacked it already," commented Roxas.

"He hasn't," replied Mickey. "If he has, we would've known by now."

"You think we don't have enough defenders?" asked Cloud.

"If today's battle was any indication." He let the sentence hang as the other two absorbed the grim possibility.

"What is this about an airship?" asked Aqua after she raced over to them from wherever she had gone.

Roxas's eyes scanned over Aqua and as Kairi said, she was a lot better than she looked. The fact that she had ran to them without breaking a sweat or panting with exhaustion suggested that her wounds didn't bother her at all. Her eyes twinkled with curiosity and bewilderment, partly wondering what an airship was, the other part wondering if she should know the vehicle already.

"An airship's a flying transport available only on Gaia," explained Roxas.

"If that airship is who we think she is, then we're getting reinforcements," added Cloud.

"From who?" asked Aqua.

"Rocket Town, Nibelheim's protectorate province in northern Gaia."

* * *

It didn't take long for the entire fort to wake up and get ready for the arrival of the airship. Within ten minutes after the notification to Cloud, the injured was secured in the barracks and all able-bodied men and women stood on the wall-walk, the towers, and near the clearing where the airship would undoubtedly land. The tension that they all felt was palpable, releasing in a collective sigh when the transport finally came into view and verified what they had all hoped for—more reinforcements.

As a legion of soldiers marched off the airship, the Nibelheim and Macalanian soldiers helped to unload the supplies from the transport. Cloud met with the commanders that were sent with the reinforcement to inform them of their current situation while Cid continued to direct the chaos that was taking place in the cargo area of the airship.

It wasn't until over an hour later did everyone finally got a break and was congregating in the assembly room where a light meal of dried meats, bread, mulled mead was set out. Several large pots of stew were being cooked in the courtyard for a late night meal before everyone fell asleep with the fading of the adrenaline rush caused by the sudden arrival of reinforcements.

"I thought you were still in Wutai to help out with the rebuilding of the Pagoda?" Cloud inquired as he joined them on the stone floor. A small campfire had been set up in the center of the small circle where they sat. Kairi and Naminé were the only ones not amongst the company as the former continued to watch over the latter within the barracks.

Cid shook his head. "The Pagoda's more or less done. Anyways, I dropped Yuffie an' Vince at Mount Nibel just an hour ago. Got two troops with them."

"How did you know they'd be in Mount Nibel?"

"Tifa sent Arashi to Wutai yesterday," answered Cid. "Told us everything that's happened."

"And they told you we'd be here?" Sora asked after swallowing a mouthful of bread and water. The gray-haired man nodded silently.

"Fuck man, why is this shit happening?" Cid blurted angrily, pulling out one of his trademark tobacco sticks to smoke. "First Wutai, and now Nibelheim? What next?"

"The world if Xehanort will have his say," Terra said bluntly.

Cid's lower jaw dropped open and the lit cigarette that was in his mouth fell from its perch.

"Ouch, fuck!" the lord of Rocket Town exclaimed when the cigarette burned his skin. He quickly brushed the cigarette off of him and into the camp fire, muttering curses as the remnant ash continued to singe the hairs around the red spot. The sight was comical even in these bleak times, but no one dared to laugh aloud.

"You really should quit smoking," commented Cloud, hiding his smile with his cup of water.

"What the fuck is Shera going to nag me about then?" the gray-haired man shot back with a challenging stare.

"Maybe your language," Coral suggested.

"Just be glad Tifa isn't here, you'll get an earful from her," added Cloud. Besides him, Sora shook with silent laughter, before bits of the meat he was chewing on went into the wrong passageway.

"Glad to know that I'm that hilarious," Cid said sarcastically, glaring at the now coughing king of Destiny Islands as Roxas worked to help the teen.

"You're a natural comedian," remarked Sirocco.

"Shut the fuck up." At that, everyone at the fire laughed.

Silence fell over them like a comforting blanket; each one of them eating silently their meager rationed food until the stew was ready. Soon, a pot was brought to them and Sirocco ladled out the soup to everyone.

Halfway through their bowls, a loud crash followed by the shaking of the ground interrupted their eating. Mickey was the first to stand, staring towards the door with a frown upon his face.

"What the hell?" Terra said, asking the question that was on everyone's mind.

"They must've found out about the arrival of the reinforcements and are trying to catch us off guard," said Cloud.

"I don't think so," Mickey said.

"Smells like a Heartless," Sirocco added, sniffing the air like a hunter.

"You can smell Heartless?" Aqua asked with widened eyes, staring at the pale-haired Chaser as though the man was crazy.

"More or less," he grinned in reply. Coral only shook her head in resignation at her fellow Chaser's unorthodox manner of sensing the Heartless.

"I have a feeling Xehanort's sent Darkside to try and get through the shield," Mickey said grimly. He then left the room with his Keyblade in his hand, followed by the others.

The night sky was void of the moon or any stars—reminding Sora and Roxas of the darkness that they've found themselves in nightmares. Just beyond the barrier, the fort was surrounded by three giant creatures of Darkness.

"Darkside, Dark Follower," said Sirocco as he identified the two Heartless of the ancient times.

"And a Naught," Coral said, narrowing her eyes at the giant creature that had been created by Xehanort.

The three giant creatures summoned magical orbs that sparked with purple and white. When the orbs crashed against the barrier, another shockwave shook the ground and the air lit up with bright light as the orbs exploded. The barrier held fast.

"We can't let them keep throwing spells at the barrier," Mickey said grimly. "Even though the barrier is strong, it's tied to the ground and the fort will collapse eventually."

"We'll handle this," Riku said, raising a hand to stop Cloud from joining the rest of the Keyblade wielders in this fight. "There's nothing else you can do here."

Cloud frowned at the younger man's blunt statement, but he knew that it was true. He nodded quietly, watching as the eight Keyblade wielders approached the closed gate.

"Open the gate!" he shouted. The soldiers nearest to the gate wheel looked at each other for a quick moment, almost not understanding what Cloud was telling them to do. As the Keyblade wielders got closer however, they quickly scrambled to turn the wheel and opened the gate. Flashes of light lit up the area as the magical weapons were summoned to the fighters' sides.

They stopped just short of the barrier, letting the explosion fade after the three creatures let loose another round of magical artillery against the shield. When the smoke dispersed, Mickey immediate leaped up and aimed for Darkside's head; Sirocco quickly joined him. Terra and Aqua both went for the Dark Follower while Sora and Riku directed their attentions on the giant Naught. Coral and Roxas looked at each other for a quick moment before the Chaser joined the two siblings.

Darkside brought down a fist onto the ground, sending yet another shockwave across the ground. The fort behind them shook but remained relatively unscathed. Roxas took a quick glance at the citadel before dashing across the dirt ground in front of him to join Sora and Riku in battling the giant Naught—the Twilight Thorn.

Surprisingly, for a creature of its size, the giant Naught was as lithe as the three fighters that were trying to destroy it. Each attack met with empty air as the Naught twisted and turned, making the Twilight Thorn seem more amorphous than what they saw.

Sora leaped up and aimed his next attack at the giant Naught's chest, scowling when the Naught's body bent in such a way that moved the targeted area out of reach from Sora's Keyblade. At the last second though, Sora noticed a flaw in the dodge and changed the path of his Keyblade, slashing horizontally across the Naught's head as it neared him.

The attack almost sent Twilight Thorn reeling to the side but the Naught regained its balance without ever touching the ground. It lashed back with a wild swing of its arms, catching Sora in midair as he backed away from the Naught and sending the youth flying through the air before he crashed into Terra near the Dark Follower.

"Sora!" Roxas shouted, starting to run over to the brunet and his brother's aid. Before he could get anywhere, however, a hand shot out from Twilight Thorn and wrapped around the boy, binding his arms to his torso. The blonde grunted and wriggled about to try and free his arms, but the hold on him was too tight.

Sora untangled himself from Terra and helped the disorientated man up. A trail of blood dribbled from the corner of the redhead's lips, leaving a coppery taste in Terra's mouth. He spat out a bloody spittle and grimaced at the redness on his fingers when he wiped away the trail. He looked up at the Naught that had indirectly caused his mild injury and scowled at the sight of his brother's predicament.

The king of Destiny Islands wasted no time in returning to battle against the Twilight Thorn, his eyes following Roxas as the Naught waved at Riku's attempt to reach the captive teen.

"Roxas!" Sora exclaimed with terror, his heart skipping a beat when the Naught threw its arm up and released its captive hundreds of feet above ground.

The former Nobody gasped as his eyes found the ground and a mental calculation of the distance between himself and the earth elicited a fear that he never thought he'd experience—the fear that he would crash into the ground hard—as he reached the apex of his flight. However, he quickly banished the fear of dying in a splat on the ground when his eyes fell upon a swirling gray sphere in one of the Naught's hands. The Twilight Thorn threw the sphere that sparked with energy upward at him and in that exact moment, Roxas knew that even if he didn't die from the free fall, the energy blast would surely kill him.

Letting his instincts guide him, Roxas threw the Kingdom Key at the sphere, causing it to explode in midair when the two came in contact. The ensuing blast bathed the area with a bright light, blinding everyone in the vicinity; the blonde had no way of preparing himself for the moment he landed.

As he fell, unable to see the ground, fear and thoughts of death stilled his heart. 'I'm going to die,' was surprisingly the first thing that came to mind. He didn't even think about the fact that he failed in his mission as a Nobody with his death. But he did pray fervently that he wouldn't die because he needed to be with Sora and Sora needed him.

"Got'cha," a voice said as a strong arm caught him around the waist and immediately redirected the destructive path that Roxas was headed on. The boy opened his eyes to find the light from the explosion faded away and the stoic face of a red-haired man staring back at him.

"Pan!" Roxas greeted with surprise as the pair landed just within the barrier. "What are you doing here?"

The tall Chaser didn't respond at first, staring at the battle that was taking place just a few feet away. His pointed ears twitched with the sounds of the battle, particularly when Darkside had been defeated. The black remains of the Heartless melted down into a puddle of goo before evaporating with specks of darkness.

"Xehanort showed up at the forge," he said at long last. "We're not going to be able to hold them off much longer."

Mickey joined the two, landing dexterously after somersaulting through the air with Darkside's destruction. Sirocco had gone to join Riku in battling against the Twilight Thorn while Sora was currently venting his anger on the Dark Follower after the Heartless's repeated interference to keep the brunet from reaching Roxas. He didn't even need help from Terra, Aqua, and Coral before the Heartless fell under Sora's wrath.

"Could we even teleport this many people with our powers?" Coral asked, looking down at one of her hands with a frown.

"We certainly can't leave them by themselves," replied Roxas before he returned to the battlefield. During his brief time in the Twilight Thorn's grasp, the blonde seemed to have figured out the Naught's weakness. With the Kingdom Key in his hands, the boy waited for the most opportune moment to strike at the Naught's legs, swinging the light-infused weapon in a wide arc. The attack knocked Twilight Thorn off of its feet and the giant Naught fell to the ground with a loud crash.

Shortly afterwards, Aqua and Terra both brought their Keyblades down and pinned the Naught's hands to the ground. Sora then leaped into the air alongside Riku and the two teens shot a beam of light from the tips of their Keyblade at the Naught's chest—where the heart would've been if the giant creature had one.

A loud roar echoed through the forest and across the plains beyond at the moment the concentrated beam hit the Naught. The earth shook violently as though the earth itself had been hit rather than the Naught. Roxas's siblings quickly backed away from the disintegrating giant as it stumbled back up. The three siblings all stared with morbid fascination as the Naught melted like its Heartless counterparts, never noticing the Darkness surrounding their feet. Sora and Riku landed next to the blond-haired boy and both had triumphant grins upon their faces, a brief euphoria from being victorious making the two teens feel rather giddy.

"Damn it!" Mickey muttered angrily, startling everyone in the vicinity. The uncharacteristic words from the mouse-lord's mouth immediately cut through the brief afterglow the five felt. It was then that they had realized they were sinking into the ground. Roxas looked down to find the dark remains of the Twilight Thorn swirling around him, pulling him downward like quicksand.

"I can't move!" shouted Aqua disconcertedly, losing her cool with each second as she continued to sink into the ground.

"Aqua, calm down. We'll be fine," the blonde immediately said to soothe his sister who appeared to be on the verge of tears.

"It was a trap," said Riku, trying to free himself as well but the Darkness refused to let go of its preys.

Sirocco made a move to help them but before he even neared the area, Terra yelled.

"Don't come any closer or you'll get sucked in too!" he warned.

"Get the troops to Mount Nibel," Roxas said. "Protect Nibelheim."

"Promise that you'll come back to us!" Coral shouted with a cry.

"We will!" Sora immediately responded, bracing himself as the Darkness had sucked them all down to their chests. "We promise!"

"Tell Kairi that we'll be back," shouted Riku. "Don't worry!"

The Darkness swallowed the five up much in the same manner that the Three had been taken from the Chasers a millennium ago; but this time, the world seemed that much dimmer. Slowly, the swirling Darkness began to disappear.

They had won another battle, but at what cost? After all, they had lost the Three again.

"Who is going to tell Kairi?" Sirocco said sadly.

"They're not dead, Sirocco," Coral hissed angrily. The anger that she felt at that moment wasn't directed at her comrade but rather at herself; the other Chasers blamed themselves too for not having the foresight to prevent this from happening.

"Being angry and having second thoughts about this isn't going to bring them back," Pan said stoically.

"Pan is right," Mickey said. "We have to do what Roxas told us to do and protect Nibelheim. The others will find them at the End of the World."

"How do you know that!?" Coral blurted, appalled by her friends' callousness.

"Because, Coral," Mickey said, his eyes understanding the green-haired girl's self-loathing. "It has been Xehanort's plan all along to corrupt the light of the Three. He wouldn't kill them off without getting their powers over the Keyblade."

"Remember their promise to us, Coral," added Pan, landing a comforting hand on the shorter Chaser's shoulder. She looked up to see one of Pan's rare natural smiles upon the man's face. "They'll come back, just like the Three."

"Yeah, don't forget what you said about promises. As long as they keep their promise, they'll find their way back to us," grinned Sirocco, remembering the time when the Three returned to Nibelheim after their disappearance.

"We have to be strong for them," added Mickey. "We have to keep this world safe until they've returned to finish this once and for all."

The other three nodded in agreement. Silently, the four returned back to the fort, bearing grim news but were determined to carry out their duties to the world. They made a silent vow to protect Kairi and keep her and the world safe until the end is to come to them.

Within moments of the gate closing, a large pillar of white light expanded from the center of the fort and covered the entire castle before the pillar disappeared along with the barrier, leaving behind just the abandoned fortress at Baren Falls.

_

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: I think the story has digressed somewhat from what I originally had in mind. Well, not so much as what I had in mind as the fact that some of the stuff in the later chapters didn't mesh with the earlier chapters. Of course, I'm probably nitpicking, but that's simply how I feel right now._

_In any case, this chapter's around the same length as the previous one and is pretty much the first of the many chapters with lots of action until the very end when everything gets resolved. Hopefully I won't try to write so many different things between this chapter and the end that might seem like I'm just vomiting out thoughts, XD. On another note, lol at Mickey's random cussing and Cid's return, yay!  
_

_Of course, references to make. Lady Jessie refers to Jessie from Final Fantasy VII. Don Corneo's self explanatory… But if you haven't played FF7, Don Corneo's the landlord of Wall Market and a pervert who picks a lady out of three to marry every single night. It's definitely one of the most hilarious parts of the game that you absolutely must go through if you ever play it, lol. Baren Falls is from Final Fantasy VI. Protectga as a spell is derived from the FF universe, the "third" tier spell of Protect. Alexander is commonly a summon from the FF series as well and is a giant fortress. I chose to go with Alexander rather than say Golem or Ashura is because Alexander's holy-based as well as being a fortress-like summon—both of which contributes to the idea of the barrier._

_All in all, hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I'm going to try to post the next chapter before the end of the month, or at least before mid-March. Until then, thanks for all your support. Any questions or comments are welcomed._


	21. Separate Paths

_To reviewers of chapter 19 and others:_

_Blaid: I appreciate the gesture. But as I've said before, I have no plans to add any more original characters to this story, not this late in the story. Not to sound mean or coming off as arrogant, but this fic wouldn't be my fic if I added original characters that I didn't create. If you do feel the need to write a sort of alternate universe fic based on this one, then by all means, go right ahead._

_Nira Rose: Really? Just "wow"? XD_

_LupinandHarry: Haha, it's amazing how one simple thing could satisfy the fangirls, XP._

_DarkBombayAngel: I agree, they are cute together, hehe. And they'll be fine, but that's what you're going to find out in chapter 20, riiiiiiight?_

_Pandaaaaaa: Well, I hope you've read the chapters between the prologue and now, because here's the update!_

_kissdagirlorloseit: Thank you. And yes, they finally kissed…_

_Marina Nyah: Roxas has sure come a long way since the very beginning of the fic… I don't think the Roxas that's fresh off the boat (hoho, a fob) from The World That Never Was could ever fathom that he'd kiss Sora, haha._

_Lil Nizzer: Hope you enjoy this long awaited update then!_

_nescafe: I wouldn't say it's the best… but thanks a lot for the compliment. Sorry it's taken me a long time to update, but how you enjoy it. Don't worry too much about the poor English, your review was just fine._

_niwa-k: You're welcome. I do apologize for the need to get a recap, but I reckon that can't be helped when there's a lot of stuff going on in this fic and the updates are rather far apart, heh heh._

_

* * *

Recap thus far: Shortly after his fifteenth birthday, Sora, the heir apparent to the Destiny Islands kingdom, began a journey to travel through the world and found himself in the center of an ancient war started before his ancestors lived. Charged with the task to complete what his ancestors set out to do, he traveled from Radiant Garden to Midgar to Revenant Wings to Wutai and back to Destiny Islands, where he took on the mantle of kingship with the death of his father. All the while, he struggled with his feelings for Roxas, his Nobody whose heart had been locked away until the events in Revenant Wings. In a moment of thoughtlessness, he sent Roxas away, only to discover the truth behind his Nobody's destiny. Now reconciled and finally accepting their feelings for one another, Sora and Roxas, with their friends and families, stand fast against the coming Darkness, even as they are taken to the dark realm, the world of the Heartless._

* * *

**Chapter 20 – Separate Paths**

* * *

Kairi felt like her world was falling into pieces with the latest news from the Chasers. She had forced herself to join the fight at Mount Nibel when everyone at the Baren Falls fortress was teleported back to the forge to defend it. Thinking back on it, perhaps the decision wasn't so wise, for now the gravity of her situation wholly weighed down on her spirits, suffocating her.

Why hadn't she joined them in the fight against the Heartless and Naught? She had felt such dread when she thought about leaving Naminé behind. Was it because of the fact that it was a trap that kept her away from the battlefield?

The redhead couldn't fathom what kind of situation her friends and distant relatives were in at that exact moment. She didn't even know if they were still alive; and that simply made it more difficult for her to face the reality. While she had the support of the Chasers, in the end, she knew that she would be the only one left to face the darkness; none of the Chasers will be standing by her when the final seal is completed, separating this world from that of the Heartless.

Oh, she understood what was required of her. As a descendant of the Three, it was her duty to protect this world from the Heartless. But right now, she wanted to be selfish, to be living carefree like she did a year ago, when Naminé first came to her. She didn't want to be the only one left after all's said and done.

In a bed next to her, Naminé continued to sleep on, unaware of the despair and self-doubt her mistress was feeling at that exact moment.

With a sigh, Kairi turned in her own bed, looking at her Nobody's sleeping form with mild jealousy.  
"I envy you," she said softly. "Being able to sleep there without any care of what's happening outside."

With that statement, the princess of Radiant Garden got a surprise when her Nobody stirred, moaning softly before the eyelids fluttered open.

Instantly, Kairi got up from her bed, pushing the sheets aside to go to the blond-haired girl. She helped the girl to sit up before grabbing a glass of water for Naminé to drink. The Nobody slowly drank the cool water and breathed a sigh.

"Thank you, your Highness," Naminé said gratefully, making a move to get out of bed.

"Oh, no, you're staying there until we get a healer to look at you," Kairi said, pushing the teen back down.

"I feel fine, your Highness." Kairi looked at her with skepticism. "Trust me. I know my own limits. Besides, I do need to go to the toilet."

"Oh," the princess said dumbly, a blush on her face. "Let me help you then," she offered, pulling the girl up and supporting her as the pair made their way out of the room that Tifa gave to them at the ancient forge.

"Where are we?" Naminé asked with bewilderment. The surroundings didn't look like the fort that they had arrived in.

"The ancient forge in Mount Nibel," the redhead answered.

"Where are the others?" Kairi didn't respond, only helping Naminé into the common bath. The Nobody sensed that her mistress wasn't going to say anything while they were in public and didn't pursue the subject.

The pair returned to the room they shared and Naminé got back into bed with Kairi's help. Once the blonde got settled in, she looked at her mistress with expectation. Kairi took a seat next to her on the bed, smoothing out an invisible wrinkle on the comforter.

"We don't know where the others are," she said at long last. Naminé furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Xehanort set a trap for us. He sent two giant Heartless and a Naught to attack the barrier that we had set up around the Baren Falls fort. They managed to defeat the Heartless and the Naught, but when the Naught was destroyed, it created a portal of some sorts and took them away from us," Kairi explained, repeating what Mickey had told her only hours ago. She looked down at her hands with sadness, wondering what she should do now.

"Riku said," she took a deep breath, "that we shouldn't worry. They'll be back." Her voice wavered with uncertainty.

"How could he say that!?" Naminé blurted out angrily. The red-haired princess looked up at her Nobody with surprise; the passion within the younger teen's voice was something that Kairi had never heard from Naminé before.

"He should know how his disappearance would affect you; affect me as well!"

"But that's just how Riku is," smiled Kairi, happy to see her Nobody getting so worked up over the boy that had grew closer to them, more than just a close friend.

"That doesn't excuse his ignorance of our feelings," Naminé pointed out.

"It doesn't matter anymore." Kairi turned away from the Nobody moodily, thoughts of the daunting task laid out in front of her weighing down on her once again.

"Are you alright, your Highness?" The blond-haired girl looked at her mistress carefully, sensing the unspoken distress within the older girl.

"I'm fine." Naminé frowned; the fact that Kairi hadn't looked at her when she said those words meant that she was clearly not fine.

"You're not alright," the Nobody said, leaving where she had lied to sit next to the princess. "You're scared of what their disappearance means for you, right?"

Kairi gave Naminé a brief look of incredulity before smiling weakly at the Nobody's insight. "Since when have you been so perceptive?" she asked with amusement.

"I've always been perceptive," replied Naminé. "I just haven't had the need to express it until now." Kairi gave a soft laugh.

"But seriously, you shouldn't feel weighed down by this. You should have faith that what Riku said will come to pass. We should be strong for them and do our best to protect this world until they get back and we finish what we set out to do."

"I don't know if I'm strong enough," Kairi replied softly, a waver in her voice belied all the fears and doubts that were tying her down.

"You are," Naminé said firmly. "I know you are. Even though you might not feel it, inside your heart, you are strong and no Heartless can take that away from you. Hope will see us through and faith in our friends will light the path for them to come back to us."

"And their promise to us," added the princess with a genuine smile. Though she still had her doubts, Naminé's words rang true in her heart. She knew that even though she might be by herself in the end, in this world, she would never be alone. Naminé would be with her until the end and her friends and family would always be with her inside her heart.

"Thanks, Naminé."

"My pleasure, your Highness."

* * *

Sora woke with a start, gasping in a deep breath as his eyes snapped open widely. The sudden movement he made, sitting up from where he lied, disturbed the still air around him. He choked and gagged when he breathed in black ashes that floated over the ground, creating a black fog and obscuring Sora's sight of the dirt floor.

Once he got his breathing down, having been reduced to a fit of coughs as the he gingerly lifted himself off the ground, dusting off the dark ashes that clung to him. He looked about him, noting the bleak looking rock formations that loomed in front of and behind him. The black dry ice-like fog that came up just beneath his knees covered the ground, lapping against the craggy walls that made up a canyon in front of him.

He looked upward, his blue eyes finding a starless black sky where a heart-shaped object was. Sora couldn't call the celestial body a moon, though the golden textured heart suggested that it was similar to the moon in his own world.

"When did I start thinking that this isn't my world?" he murmured softly to himself. But everything he's seen suggested that he wasn't in his world. This world where he found himself in was in shades of gray; the only color he could see were from the heart-shaped moon and the shaded blue and white that he donned underneath the chain link and brown leather vest.

He focused his attention upon the strange moon, frowning as he scrutinized it with narrowed eyes. A blue aura emanated from the moon, shimmering against the black sky. Sora's eyes narrowed further as he picked up pink dots zooming towards the moon, disappearing from sight with the golden light.

"Is the moon eating stars?" Sora wondered aloud, though it sounded rather ridiculous. Pink stars?

Shaking his head to take his attention off the mesmerizing moon, the king of Destiny Islands looked about him again, finding nothing changed since his first scan of the area. He wondered if there was even life in this world beyond the sky.

"I wonder if the others are okay," he said to himself, sadness and longing reflecting within his sapphire eyes. Heaving out a breath to get rid of all the melancholy, he summoned the Ultima Keyblade and began walking toward the canyons, hoping that somehow he would be able to find the others who are undoubtedly also trapped in this world.

As he walked through the canyon, the pumice walls rising precipitously to the left and right of him, he couldn't help but feel as though someone was watching him. Yet, every time he stopped and turned around, only darkness met his eyes. The heart-shaped moon was blocked by the canyon walls, leaving the bottom of the canyon floor dark and cold. Only the faint light from the Ultima Keyblade illuminated the path in front of Sora, but even then, the light couldn't penetrate the black fog that hovered above the ground.

"Creepy," he said softly to himself, shivering when he started moving again after stopping for the umpteenth time.

The brunet breathed an internal sigh of relief as he stepped out of the shadowed canyon. The strange moon remained stationary in the dark sky. Sora frowned at the golden moon, wondering if any time had passed at all since he first woke up in this bizarre world.

Suddenly, he stiffened; his internal alarm ringing shrilly in his mind. Narrowed eyes slowly scanned the immediate area where he stood. The black fog rolled ominously across the clearing between the canyon and the stone forest that stretched out in front of him. For a brief moment, all was silent and still. Then, Sora's eyes widened and his breath hitched in his throat as hundreds of glowing yellow eyes appeared in the black fog.

Underneath the golden glow of the heart-shaped moon, shapes of Shadows and Neoshadows emerged from the sinister fog, surrounding the lone Keyblade wielder. Sora's eyes quickly scanned across the area in front of him, mentally estimating the number of Heartless that had appeared. There must've been hundreds of the shadowy horde.

He took a step backward, almost contemplating a retreat back into the canyons to limit the number of opponents he'd have to face at any one time. However, the fact that no light penetrated the gloom to the canyon floor meant that it was much more dangerous for him, even with the glowing yellow eyes marking his targets.

He swallowed down a lump in his throat, pushing away the unfamiliar fear that rose within his heart.

"I have to have faith in myself," said Sora, a grin appearing on his face and growing wider as the Ultima Keyblade began to brighten. Without given the grim situation another thought, Sora entered into the battle against the horde of a thousand Heartless.

* * *

A splash echoed through the still air followed by a string of colorful words uttered in pure frustration.

Aqua gave her older brother a withered look as Terra sputtered angrily after stumbling into the dirty water in the swamp that they had found themselves in. Behind her, Roxas seemed reserved, though he too was beginning to become as irritated by the situation as the ashy red-haired man.

Terra scowled and got out of the pool of fetid water, groaning when he heard the squelching sound of his wet leather boots sinking into the mud.

"If it wasn't for the fact that this is the way we wanted to go…" he muttered under his breath. Neither Aqua nor Roxas said a word—the former knowing that Terra couldn't be calmed down when he's frustrated and the later feeling guilty for he was the one who adamantly believed that this was the direction they needed to head in. Since neither Aqua nor Terra had any idea which way they should've gone when they regained consciousness, the pair naturally followed Roxas's sense of direction. In their hearts, they believed that Roxas was much more attuned to the unexplainable powers that each of them had and for that, they gave their unwavering trust to the blond-haired teen.

"We're almost out," Roxas said quietly, narrowing his eyes at the distance. Rock formations rose at the edge of the swamp land, demarcating the end of the water-saturated ground and the beginning of solid floor.

Aqua turned her eyes upward at the golden heart-shaped moon, an odd feeling stirring within her as though she should know what the moon signified.

"Aqua," Roxas called out to her when he and Terra had gone a few feet ahead of the motionless woman. "You okay?"

"Y-yeah," she snapped out of her lapse. She quickly caught up to them and the trio continued on their way.

Their progress was slow; the mud through which they walked dragged their feet down. And despite their steps forward, the tree line seemed ever so distant.

"Let's take a break," Aqua said with a pant when they reached a sizeable island of terra firma. Though the ground was still damp, their feet didn't sink down like the paths they took to reach the place. Large rocks were buried into the ground around the center of the island, allowing the trio to rest their feet.

"I wonder where the others are," Terra frowned, looking about the frustrating swamp.

"Who knows?" murmured Aqua, scratching at a bandaged area near her shoulder.

"You alright?" the redhead asked with concern, eying the unchanged bandages unhappily.

"Wounds are healing, that's all," she replied nonchalantly, though she too was concerned with the possibility of infection with the unchanged dressing.

The three siblings remained silent for a few minutes, each preoccupied with their own thoughts. The air was still and damp with the fetid water. The lack of life beside the three would've unnerved, should've unnerved them, but there was a calm within the three siblings that warded off the panic and hysteria that lurked in the darkness, the feelings that even the strongest willed man would've quailed at when faced with such overwhelming evil. It was this calm that bolstered their spirits and allowed the trio to continue on despite such adversity.

"We should get going again," Terra said, standing up to continue on. Aqua nodded silently in agreement, standing up gingerly as well. Both of them looked over to their younger brother and were alarmed by the terror upon the blonde's face.

Roxas let out a choked sound as the pupils of his eyes dilated abnormally. He opened his mouth to take in the breath that he felt he didn't have. Clenching the shirt over his heart tightly, he fell forward in his seat, his eyes seeing things much further away.

"Ven!" cried Aqua as Terra caught the falling teen. As soon as the moment came, it passed and Roxas's eyes returned to normal. He breathed heavily and looked up at the concerned faces of his siblings.

"I saw Sora!" he exclaimed.

"Are you okay?" Terra asked, his eyes scanning over the teen's flushed face.

"I'm fine," Roxas replied immediately. "Sora's in trouble. We have to go to him!"

"But how?" asked Aqua. "We don't even know where he is."

"I know where!" the blonde answered animatedly. He leaped out of Terra's support and grinned at his siblings. "Come on, I know the way through the swamps."

Without waiting for them to respond, Roxas began running in the direction of the woods in the distance.

"Wait, Ven!" shouted Aqua.

"Freaking overprotective kid," muttered Terra in annoyance. His blue-haired sister giggled lightly.

"I wouldn't say overprotective as more of overenthusiastic and overjoyed," she commented with a smile.

"Yeah, yeah," replied Terra. "Whatever. Come on."

The two siblings chased after their brother who had a large head start already, leaving behind the fears and uncertainty of the future.

* * *

Riku stared at the room he stood in feeling a mix of awe and bewilderment. The walls were covered with a golden sheen. White columns stood in the corners of the glamorous room. The ground itself was firm but looked like he was standing on clouds rather than solid earth. Red oak wooden furniture complemented the room, ranging from a bookcase holding various ancient scrolls and tomes to the decorated desk and chair and finally to the four-poster bed that was covered in pristine white sheets and curtained by sheer drapes.

Of all the places he had expected to wake up to, this bright room was the last place he could've thought of.

A knock on the door interrupted the teen's inspection of the room. He turned toward the brown door that slowly opened and the thought that he wasn't living any longer passed through his mind briefly.

In front of him stood a woman of fair complexion, whose aura glimmered with light. Her gray eyes reflected the same aura of light that surrounded her. A golden tiara was placed on top of the woman's head, almost hovering over the short sandy-tan hair. A flowing white robe shimmered with light as she moved across the cloud-like ground.

"You're awake," she said with a peaceful smile upon her face, her voice musical. "I'm glad."

"Where am I?" Riku asked bluntly, watching her circle around him with her own watchful eyes. The teen didn't know if the unnamed woman was inspecting him for ill purposes or to check if he was wounded, but that didn't seem to matter at that particular moment.

"Not in danger, that's for certain," she replied cryptically. A low growl escaped between Riku's lips; the impatient teen felt patronized by the woman, who appeared to be rather amused by this situation.

"My apologies, I didn't mean to antagonize you, but this is not your world. It is not for me to tell you where you are right now." She made for the door, stopping just before the threshold to smile at the teen reassuringly. "Now if you will please follow me."

"Not until you answer me at least this," Riku said immediately. The gray eyes looked upon him reflecting amusement and curiosity. She nodded silently. "Who are you?"

"My name is Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca. You can call me Ashe." Trusting that the boy would follow her, she left the room, letting the warm sunlight shine down upon her. Riku followed her out, shading his eyes with one hand as the bright sunlight met his eyes. The courtyard of the house where he had woken in was empty save for a woman working on a knitting project and a man turning the soil around the green bushes that demarcated the borders of the open space, separating it from the covered passages that lined around the courtyard.

After passing through the dining room and the living room, the pair exited the large house and entered into the bustling of the city. Around Riku, people milled about peacefully, chatting amicably with their companions and carrying groceries, materials, and other stuffs. The smell of cooked food permeated the air, suggesting to the teen that they were close to the marketplace. His hostess nodded with a smile as people who passed by them all bowed in respect to her before continuing on their happy ways. The silver-haired teen had no doubt that the woman in front of him was well revered in this place.

Off to one side leaning against the wall to the cabin that Riku had found himself in was a man dressed in armor, a red cape bearing a coat of arms was draped across his back. The man was not much taller than himself, with sandy hair tied up into a long ponytail. Riku found it strange that both Ashe and her companion were fair-skinned though there was no doubt that they must've spent the majority of their days out in the sun.

"Thank you for waiting, Basch," the woman called Ashe said in her musical voice.

"It's my pleasure, Lady Ashe," the man replied. Though his baritone voice was a bit on the gruff side, there remained that musical quality that Ashe's voice held.

"Come," she said, gesturing Riku to continue following her.

After the initial feeling of awe had passed, the prince of Twilight Town could see that something was off as he followed the sandy-haired woman and her companion through the main thoroughfare of this place. Though happiness was on everyone's face, Riku could sense melancholy and all sorts of negative emotions beneath the surface. Not to mention, there weren't a lot of children about and the few that were playing together were looked upon with such sadness in the observers' eyes that Riku wondered if these people truly felt the joy they were projecting.

He couldn't voice his questions for his hosts were determined to get to their destination, walking at a brisk pace and at two arm's lengths ahead of him. Riku took it as a sign that they knew whatever questions he might have, they were not for public ears.

They followed the thoroughfare into a large plaza where a temple-like structure rose into the cloudless sky. Smooth white stone columns stood on both sides of the grand entrance. From where Riku stood, he could see a statue with a beacon of fire burning brightly at the top. As they walked past the statue, he was surprised by the familiar faces upon the trio that held up the cauldron that held the fire—that of himself, Sora, and Kairi. How did these people know them?

Continuing through the foyer, they entered into the main hall where an altar stood at the end of a long aisle carpeted by the same shade of red that hung from Basch's shoulders. A statue of an unnamed woman stood regally behind the altar and light pillared down upon the white statue gloriously. Making a right in the middle of the room, Ashe headed straight for a side path separated off by a bead curtain. On the other side was an open spiral staircase heading upward.

As they moved upward, Riku could see that the city was enormous. He couldn't see the edges of the city at all even from his high vantage point. He noticed that each building appeared the same as the next, all made of the beige-colored sandstone. The only distinguishing features of the buildings were the roofs, some were thatched with straw, other with bound branches, and still others were shingled with tiles or covered by large palm leaves that Riku's seen only in Destiny Islands. While a few of the buildings did rise up into the sky like the temple where he was, it was clear that the building he was in was the main temple of the city. And that meant he was in the middle of the large city; one that dwarfed even Midgar in size.

The questions simply mounted.

At the end of the staircase, they reentered indoors into a large circular room with a dome-shaped ceiling over their heads. There were other people there already, four of which were standing underneath the light speaking to each other.

From Riku's cursory observations, he could tell that three of the four were men; one of them was an old man with a blue pointed hat over a mop of graying hair matted on his head and a long gray beard that reminded him of Merlin. Another wasn't much younger from Riku's sight with streaks of gray cutting through the midnight blue hair that seemed familiar to the teen, but he couldn't put his finger on just who had that same hairstyle. The last two, a man and a woman, appeared to be around the same age. The man also had a similar midnight blue hair but it was somewhat lighter. But what was the most intriguing to the prince of Twilight Town was the woman, whose silver hair flowed down to her waist, shimmering as she shook her head in disagreement with whatever was being said.

The hard sound of shoes tapping on the ground, despite Riku's doubt that the floor was actually solid stone, caught their attention.

As the four turned their faces to the newcomers, Riku couldn't move. He stared in disbelief at the long silver hair that sparkled under the light. A pair of grey eyes met his own blue ones lovingly as they acknowledged the younger teen's presence. The heart-shaped face that was so familiar to the prince of Twilight Town brought forth tears that he had never shed in mourning.

"It can't be," he said, voice breaking with unchecked emotions.

"Hello, Riku," the lady replied. "Welcome to Kingdom Hearts."

"Stella."

* * *

Sora breathed heavily at the conclusion of the battle, exhaustion beginning to set within his limbs. Despite his experience in fighting with his Keyblade ever since his eighth birthday, the muscles in his arms and legs screamed as he overtaxed them in this desperate fight. The air was still around him; the Heartless that had sought to devour him had retreated.

Taking in a deep breath, he straightened up with the Ultima Keyblade still clutched tightly in his right hand. He felt unusually weary, but in his heart, he knew he couldn't let his guard down in this dangerous, strange world.

He looked upward at the golden heart in the sky that casted its cool light down upon the land. The sound of rapid footsteps approaching him caught his attention and he quickly brought his Keyblade up, mentally prepared for another battle though his body felt like lead.

His eyes widened with surprise at the sight of Roxas leading Terra and Aqua towards him as the trio ran through the forest of tree-like rocks. He yelped when the blonde tackled him with relief clear within his eyes, but didn't get knocked over even with Roxas's eagerness to confirm Sora's presence in his arms.

"I thought I had lost you," Roxas murmured, hugging Sora tightly. The brunet was so unused to the blonde's touchy-feely side that he almost didn't know how to respond. Slowly, he returned the embrace and relaxed, dismissing his Keyblade as he brought his arms up.

"Are you okay?" the blonde asked, pulling away from Sora abruptly. The brunet internally lamented the loss of Roxas's support and frowned slightly at the younger teen's over-protectiveness. Roxas's eyes scanned across Sora's face and body, finding no new injuries to the brown-haired teen besides the ones that he suffered during the battle at Baren Falls fort.

"I'm fine," he replied. "Just a bit tired."

Unexpectedly, Sora collapsed against the blonde, his left hand clenching the shirt over his chest as his heart pounded painfully. Sinister whispers stirred in the air, bombarding the quartet from all sides.

"Sora!" Roxas said worriedly, biting his lower lip as he supported the brunet. Sora simply whimpered in response, his eyes closed tightly.

Terra and Aqua whipped around with their Keyblades in their hands, eyes scanning their surroundings with heightened senses.

"The Nameless Key," Sora managed to grit out. "It's trying to get out."

As abrupt as the whispers came, they suddenly disappeared. The air was still for a moment before a high-pitched, ear-piercing screech echoed through the air, causing the cliffs near them to shake and various stone formations in the rocky forest to crack and crash down onto the ground.

Terra fell to his knees with a "nyargh", his hands covering his ears but the screech wasn't dampened at all. His blue-haired sister soon followed him on the ground, wincing at the shrill ringing in her head.

Roxas too would've fell with the terrible piercing sound that seemed to stab at his soul the longer he "listened" to the sound. But he remained standing, one arm wrapped around Sora's form tightly while the other rose towards the sky. A flash of light flared in his outstretched hand and with the appearance of the Kingdom Key, a dome-shaped barrier appeared, blocking the screech that continued to pierce the air.

Sora's weight against his body lessened as the king of Destiny Islands regained his composure; the presence of the Kingdom Key pushed away its sinister counterpart's attempt to manifest once again. Aqua picked herself up from the ground, wincing at the ringing that remained in her ears. The red-haired man remained kneeling on the ground, his eyes focused upon a dark wave approaching them like a storm.

The closer that wave got, the harder the ground shook. Slowly, the mass of darkness began to form into a gigantic being, one that hadn't been seen by any person with hearts since the days of the Three. The sight of the ancient being that was said to have been destroyed stilled all of their hearts.

"Chernabog," Sora whispered breathlessly, his eyes widened as they stared at the fear-inspiring creature. Red flames licked at the corners of Chernabog's mouth from within, turning into smoke with each opening and closing of the giant mouth.

They gulped simultaneously, uncertainty that they would be able to survive against the dangerous creature ate away at their resolve.

Chernabog roared loudly, letting the flames that surrounded him grow even brighter. The Keyblade wielders prepared to battle against the giant being, but it was unnecessary.

A large glowing circle similar to the same diagram that the Chasers had drawn at Baren Falls Fort appeared underneath their feet. Only few brief seconds passed did the four noticed the glowing runes at their feet before they disappeared in flashes of light.

Another loud roar erupted from Chernabog and the earth shook under the dark creature's anger. A dark swirling portal appeared at Chernabog's foot, revealing Xehanort's frowning face as he looked at the empty space where his targets once were. He looked up at the golden moon and sneered, counting the days when that unreachable sanctuary will finally fall from its perch.

Riku stared at his once "sister" and closest confidant with shock. She looked exactly the same as that fateful day when she died protecting him from the Heartless that had appeared in the Old Forest; she didn't seem to have aged since that day at all. In comparison, he had grown up and was now a good half a head taller than the girl who he once called "sis".

* * *

"You can't be alive," the prince said forcefully, not believing his eyes.

"You're right," a familiar voice caught his attention. "She's not alive. None of us are." If anything else was capable of stunning the teen even further after seeing his surrogate sister, it was the information that he was amongst the dead.

"King Noctis," he acknowledged, disbelief still gripping his mind as he looked upon Sora's father, who looked the same exactly the way he remembered him during Sora's last birthday with the grey-streaked midnight-colored hair and the dark blue eyes that shone not with their usual amusement when it came to Sora and his friends, but with the same melancholy and resignation he's seen in others throughout this place.

"Tell me, Riku. How is my son doing?" the former king of Destiny Islands asked.

"He took your death hard, sire." Noctis snorted sardonically at his response.

"I thought as much."

"He's doing much better now," Riku continued. "He's found his way back to the right path."

The former king laughed though it lacked the usual ring that Riku's found comforting as a child. Sora's father was, after all, akin to a second father for himself and Kairi much like his own parents for Sora and Kairi.

"Of course," he replied with a nod. "I would be ashamed to have Sora as my heir if he didn't find his way back to the light." He looked at Riku and smiled awkwardly when he saw the sadness within the teen's eyes. "Come my friends," he said to the rest of the occupants in the room. "Let us leave Stella and Riku alone. I'm sure they have much to talk about."

"Stella," the elderly man dressed in blue said sternly. "Don't take too long."

The silver-haired lady nodded. "I won't, Master Yen Sid."

The two watched as Stella's friends and fellow rulers of this strange place left the room. It wasn't until a full minute had passed after they were truly alone did Stella speak once again.

"How are you doing, Riku?" she asked, a waver in her voice suggested to the silver-haired teen that the person in front of was extremely nervous about their meeting; she had probably anticipated such a private conversation between the pair ever since he arrived at this place. But how _did_ he end up in this place anyways? This Kingdom Hearts?  
"I'm… well," Riku answered, picking his words carefully. It was true though, he did feel fine, but the hesitant tone in Stella's voice made him wonder why she was so nervous. "Where am I?"

"Kingdom Hearts," she replied with a sad smile.

"Kingdom Hearts?" The prince looked at her with bewilderment. He had never heard of such a place before, not from history, the archives, or from the Chasers themselves.

His surrogate sister nodded. "Kingdom Hearts is a world derived from the realm of the Heartless. It is the place where all souls who died to the Heartless end up."

Riku furrowed his eyebrows in bewilderment. "What? How?"

"When the Three first arrived in the realm of Darkness, taken by Chernabog," explained Stella. "They found hundreds of souls wandering the realm of the Heartless—all killed by Heartless. There was some semblance of their old lives in this dark place, but there was nothing to live off of in the world of the Heartless. Every life had been snuffed out by the ever hungry Heartless.

"Not that we need anything to live off of," she added sardonically, "we're dead."

Riku became rigid immediately at the information. If he was here, then the natural conclusion must've meant that-

"You're not dead," she answered the unasked question upon seeing his stiffening. "At least, not in the sense that you're _dead_ dead like the rest of us."

"You mean I can go back, but you guys can't?" asked the prince of Twilight Town. Stella nodded quietly.

"You're not dead because you, like the Three that came before you, were forcefully placed into the realm of the Heartless. You aren't doomed to wander the realm of Darkness like the rest of us were supposed to."

"So the Three made Kingdom Hearts?"

"Yes," she replied. "We believed that it's because of this creation that they never managed to exorcise the Nameless Key from Ventus the Youngest and successfully sever the link between our world and this one. They were extremely powerful, even though they didn't know it."

"How do you know this?" frowned Riku incredulously.

"Master Yen Sid was one of the first peoples to be killed by the Heartless. He was put in charge of Kingdom Hearts when the Three first came."

"And the others?"

"Lord Rasler and Lady Ashe were rulers of the joint kingdom Nabradia-Dalmasca. That kingdom was wiped out in the first century after the last of the original Three died. You should know well the new kingdom that took her place—Archadia. Basch was their captain of the guard. They made up the ruling council of this place until I came along and then King Noctis."

"I see…" Riku said mulling over the information he just received. "Are Kairi, Sora, and I supposed to completely seal off this realm from our world?"

Stella giggled softly. "I would think that the statue downstairs would confirm that already. But yes, you three are to complete what the Three had set out to do. As the direct descendants of the original Three and rulers of their respective kingdoms, you have been charged with this duty. You will not fail."

"How are you so certain?"

"Because I have faith in your friends. In you, most of all," she smiled. "You might not know what needs to be done right now, but you will when the time comes."

"What will happen, though? When we do seal off this world from ours? What will happen to Kingdom Hearts? To you?"

Stella smiled sadly at the question. "To tell you the truth, we don't know. As far as we know, _no_ one knows exactly. As far as I'm concerned, we will be freed from this cursed realm and able to continue on into the afterlife. But that doesn't matter. What does matter is that everything will be all right once again after the two worlds are separated finally. It's been far too long that the Heartless have been leeching on our world. It cannot be allowed to continue any longer."

Riku was silent for a while, pondering the various aspects of the task at hand.

"Riku, are you okay?" the silver-haired woman asked with concern. She had never seen her younger "brother" so brooding before her death.

"What if we weren't supposed to do this?" he asked, his eyes darkened with the inconceivable notion that he was about to propose. "What if our world has been connected to that of the Heartless for so long that if we do this, there would be such a backlash that our world will suffer with the loss?"

"You can't think that way," Stella said immediately, reaching out to lay her hands on the taller teen's shoulders. "That way of thinking will lead you on the path that Xehanort took. None of us but Yen Sid remembered how the world was before the Heartless came. But from his stories, you can bet that the world was wonderful. Magic was much more common then as well. The Heartless had sucked that magic out of our world."

"I see…" Riku answered uncertainly.

"Riku," his "sister" said, pulling him into an embrace. "You can't have any doubts about your destiny. Xehanort will surely exploit that doubt to delay what was meant to be. You can't let him win."

The prince nodded. "You're right. Xehanort's done enough damage to our world. We have to stop him."

Stella pulled away from the teen with a brilliant smile upon her face, one that Riku remembered so well even though the happiness didn't shine in her eyes.

The sound of wind chimes jingling nearby caught their attention and Stella turned around to look at a framed empty canvas that began to shimmer like water rather than cloth as the girl approached it. She gasped at the sight of Chernabog appearing in the frame. As the picture moved downward from Chernabog's face, both of them were surprised by the image of four familiar figures at the foot of the giant creature.

"Sora!" Riku said loudly.

Quickly, Stella turned away from the picture and pulled out a foldable staff. Without wasting another second, she drew a symbol in the air in front of her which exploded into sparks to land on the ground. A large portal appeared on the ground where the sparks landed. Stella murmured softly with her hands clutching the staff tightly, which glowed with soft light before a bright light exploded from the portal, blinding Riku.

When the light faded, Riku found his four friends on the cloudy ground unconscious. The portal that had been there was gone and Stella was folding her staff back up.

"They'll be alright," she said as Riku knelt down to prop Sora up. "You were unconscious when we brought you up too."

The sound of hurried footsteps met their ears and the pair looked to find the ruling council of Kingdom Hearts entering the room. A deep frown was upon Master Yen Sid's face, but Riku hadn't thought much of it.

"Can I have a word with you in private, Stella?" he said sternly. Stella blinked with bewilderment at the request and nodded, following the man out. Riku watched the pair exit with the same bewilderment that Stella had.

"Come, Riku," Lady Ashelia said with a smile, picking up Aqua in the process. "Let's get them into beds."

The silver-haired prince of Twilight Town nodded, picked up Sora, and followed Ashe, Rasler, and King Noctis back out of the room, down the spiral stairs, and back toward the house that Riku first woke in Kingdom Hearts.

* * *

Roxas moaned softly when he woke up. He could hear someone moving near him, but his eyelids were like lead, refusing to budge open even as he willed them to open. A set of hands helped him sit up and along with it, the scent of roses permeated the air.

"Here," a female voice said. Roxas could feel cold glass against his lips. "Drink this, it'll help." The boy parted his lips and the taste of a fruit juice entered his dry mouth, soothing his throat. When the glass was taken away, he slowly opened his eyes and winced slightly at the brightness of the room. With a few blinks however, his eyes adjusted rapidly to the well lit room and found a kind face smiling at him. The silver hair and the gray eyes that adorned the heart-shaped face were familiar, but Roxas had no idea who she was. A look of guilt was upon the girl's face as she stared down at Roxas, but the look passed so quickly that the former Nobody wondered if he had imagined it.

"Glad you're awake," the lady, who didn't seem much older than himself, said happily.

"Who are you?" Roxas frowned, raking through his memories for reasons why the lady seemed so familiar to him.

She didn't seem to hear his question, her eyes clouded over with reminiscence. "It's been a long time since I saw you last," she said nostalgically, running one hand through Roxas's blonde locks tenderly. Roxas's blue eyes widened with surprise.

"Stella?" he asked. Stella blinked at her brother; she hadn't expected the former Nobody to recognize her.

"You remember me?" she asked.

Roxas shook his head, his face lightly tinted with red in embarrassment due to Stella's misconceptions. "Mom talked about you a lot."

His dead sister smiled at him sadly. "I miss her."

"I'm sure she knows. And so does father."

Roxas moved to a better sitting position in the bed before looking around the large sleeping area. His eyes found the rest of his siblings and Sora asleep in their individual beds.

"I never thought I'd see you guys again," Stella murmured absent-mindedly.

"How did we end up here?" Roxas asked, interrupting the girl's reverie. She looked at her brother again, seemingly still caught in her memories before her grey eyes cleared.

"I pulled you guys up from the ground before Chernabog got to you guys," she explained.

"I thought Chernabog was supposed to be dead already?" Roxas was slightly bewildered by the presence of the dark giant.

"Chernabog isn't an entity that can be slain," came a female voice as a sandy-haired woman whom Roxas did not recognize entered the room with Riku in tow, heading towards them with a strange bounce in her step.

"There are many forms of Chernabog. It is an entity that embodies the life of a world. The only way to destroy such a being would be to destroy the world itself," she continued. "I'm Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca. Nice to meet you." She held out a hand toward the seated blonde, a smile ever adorning her face. Roxas accepted the handshake out of manners.

"I'm, Roxas," he introduced himself, tripping over his words minutely due to the fact that the woman had given him her full name while he doesn't even know his surname.

"Ventus," corrected Stella with a frown.

"I answer to both," the blonde appeased. To that, the silver-haired girl smiled in approval.

"Named after Ventus the Youngest, I'll bet," Ashelia smiled.

"Uh, yeah."

"And my other two siblings are named Terra and Aqua," added Stella. The regal woman opened her mouth as though to state the obvious "Oh I see," but no words passed through the lips.

A groan from the bed next to Roxas's own brought their attentions over to Sora, rising groggily from unconsciousness. The blond-haired boy immediately made to leave the bed to assist the brunet, but Stella stayed his intent with a firm hand upon his shoulder. Roxas didn't need to get up either as Riku took his stead and helped his friend sit up in the bed. He looked upon the pair with a hint of jealousy, which he quickly pushed aside with the knowledge that neither teen harbored any feelings for each other beyond close friends.

His eyes narrowed slightly in bewilderment of the unfounded jealousy that he felt.

"Riku?" Sora said gruffly, his eyes squinting at the silver-haired teen that had helped him sit up.

"Had enough sleep?" his friend joked with a sideways smirk upon his face. Sora punched his friend lightly in response, earning a laugh from Riku as the teen backed off. The king of Destiny Islands looked about him in cursory observation, finding Roxas's siblings sleeping in beds on the other side of the large common sleeping room. He beamed at Roxas upon seeing his former Nobody safe and awake in another bed. The two women who were at the blonde's side were unfamiliar to him, but he felt at ease with the pair since neither Riku nor Roxas appeared guarded.

"Hi," smiled the sandy-haired woman who stood between his own bed and that of Roxas's. "I'm Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca. Call me Ashe."

"Sora Caelum," he replied, shaking the woman's outstretched hand.

"I know," she smiled. "Your fa-I mean friend, told me." A look of confusion flashed across Sora's face, a feeling of suspicion that the woman knew something he didn't rose within him. Likewise, Roxas was bewildered by the stumbling of words.

"Where are we?" Sora asked instead, seeing Riku's headshake, hinting at the fact that he wasn't going to get any information on whatever it was that had made Ashelia falter in her words.

"Kingdom Hearts," the silver-haired girl who didn't seem much older than him said.

"Huh?" he uttered stupidly.

"Kingdom Hearts," she repeated. "It's where people who are killed by the Heartless end up."

Both Roxas and Sora stiffened at the information.

"No," she laughed. "You're not dead. You guys reacted exactly the same way that Riku did when I told him."

Ashe gave her comrade an awkward smile, her eyes speaking volumes of her disapproval of the silver-haired girl's morbid humor.

"Who are you?" frowned Sora.

"I'm Stella Averia, Ventus's sister." The brunet's eyes widened with surprise.

"You're the one who saved Riku," he said softly. The older girl simply nodded in confirmation.

"Seems as though I'm well know," she mused aloud, tapping one cheek with an index finger absent-mindedly.

"You're the reason why Riku dyed his hair silver!" Sora exclaimed, much to his friend's chagrin.

"Oh?" Stella uttered with amusement. "I hadn't noticed."

Roxas stared at his sister as though she was blind. Riku groaned softly, knowing perfectly well that Stella was playing with them. She simply giggled at his reaction.

"Now," she said with a smile. "You feel up to it?"

"Huh?" Sora blinked at the girl who was treating him like he was a kid rather than the king of an important nation.

"We're going to go meet someone, just you and me."

"Why me?" Sora questioned.

"That person wanted to see you once you're awake," she answered cryptically.

"You'll see, Sora," Riku added with a sad smile. Though Sora was still confused by Stella's request, Riku's encouragement was enough to sway the teen to follow the silver-haired girl. He nodded silently and got out of the bed, smiling reassuringly at Roxas before he followed the girl out of the large sleeping quarter.

"Where are they going?" Roxas asked once the pair was out of the room.

"There are some things that haven't been resolved between Sora and…" Riku began, trailing off with a melancholic sigh.

"And his father, you mean," the blonde completed his sentence for him.

"Because King Noctis was killed by Xehanort, he's here," confirmed Lady Ashelia. Roxas made to get up and chase after his dead sister and the brunet.

"Where are you going?" she frowned, laying her hands on him firmly to sit him back down.

"To see King Noctis," he said, meeting Ashe's gray eyes challengingly.

"It wasn't your fault that he died. He knows that. Can't you accept it?"

"But-" began Roxas before he was interrupted by the former ruler of Dalmasca.

"It had been your duty to protect Sora. You had gone beyond your call of duty when you took his place in Revenant Wings and protected Marlene."

"Marlene!" he exclaimed suddenly, his hands clutching onto Ashe's shoulders with zeal. "Is she here!?" His fervor in reaction to the name of the little girl surprised Lady Ashe, but she breathed an internal sigh of relief.

"Yes," she answered with a smile. "Would you like to go see her?"

Roxas looked over at the sleeping forms of Terra and Aqua, debating whether to leave his siblings behind to confront his own guilt at causing the deaths of the bright little girl and her rather intimidating father.

"Go see her, Roxas," Riku said, cutting through the blonde's internal debate. "I'll wait for them to wake up."

"Thank you," the boy said with a grateful smile, jumping off of the bed where he was. Eagerly, he followed Ashelia out of the room, anticipation and giddiness pumping through his veins. In his nervous state, he didn't see the conflicted look within the silver-haired prince's eyes as he struggled with his feelings for his surrogate sister and the red-haired princess who was waiting for their return.

It wasn't far to the new residence for Marlene and Lord Barret of Revenant Wings. Of course, Roxas hadn't paid much attention to the entire three minute trip, the clear night sky filled with bright stars and the cloud rolling underneath his feet taking his breath away the moment he stepped out of the room. Paying just enough attention to follow Lady Ashe around, the blonde marveled at the etherealness of the entire place, so different from the starkness of the realm of the Heartless but at the same time sharing the same underlying desolation that permeated the air.

They stopped in front of another one-storied house that looked very similar to the one they had left a few minutes ago. Ashe pulled on a light blue ribbon to the side of the wooden doors and the sound of small bells jingling echoed across the threshold. A lamp flared to life above their heads and the doors creaked open to reveal a woman in her early thirties with a pair of half moon-shaped spectacles perched on top of a dainty nose. Her hazel eyes looked at them with surprise.

"Good evening, Eleanor," Ashe greeted with a smile.

"Good evening, Lady Ashe," the woman named Eleanor replied, stepping aside to let the two in. "Might I inquire the reason for your presence?"

"Are your daughter and husband home?"

The lady of the house, whose light brown hair was bound into a bun-incorporated ponytail, with the long hair draped on her back all the way to her waist, looked familiar to Roxas. It was clear that Marlene had been her daughter with the heart-shaped face and warm hazelnut eyes.

"Yes, they are," replied Eleanor, who scrutinized the unnamed boy in front of her. Yet, she had no idea who the boy was. "Follow me."

They ventured further into the house where a former member of the Revenant Wings aristocracy sat on a rocking chair. The dead man seemed a shell of his former self, cradling the stub of his left arm with unseeing nostalgia, silent and brooding. Sitting cross-legged on the ground with her back set against her father's legs, the little girl who had Roxas's admiration was flipping through the pages of a coloring book, one hand groping about the smoky ground for the crayons that were strewn on the floor. Both turned to look at the doorway with the sound of footsteps entering the room and both were equally surprised by the sight of the two that had followed Eleanor in.

Roxas was not entirely surprised by the reaction he would get from the little girl, though his heart had suggested otherwise.

Marlene gasped at the presence of the yellow-haired teen. Jumping up with uncharacteristic stiffness in her body, she abandoned the book that had been in her hand and the crayons still strewn across the floor near Barret's rocking chair. Without another word or another glance, the brown-haired girl made a beeline out of the room, retreating further into the house.

"Marlene!" Roxas called out for the girl, making to chase after the child when Lord Barret stepped in his way.

"I'll go talk to her," Eleanor said with a soft smile before disappearing through the same doorway that Marlene passed through seconds before.

"I'm sorry," the blonde could only say, dropping his head in shame.

"'Twasn't yer fault, Roxas," Lord Barret replied.

"But if I hadn't given Marlene the charm…" the boy began, trailing off when he saw the darkly-tanned man shake his head.

"You couldn't 'ave known that it would be th' cause of our demise," he said. "You 'ave a good heart, Roxas. It's jus' unfortunate that there are people who are more than willing to use that against you."

"Then you know of the charm's significance?" Roxas asked. Barret nodded.

"That Xehanort told us before we were killed," he answered grimly.

"How kind of him," Roxas muttered sarcastically under his breath.

"Based on your presence here, 'm assuming he succeeded," frowned the burly man. Roxas shook his head.

"Partly," the teen replied. "Xehanort brought Ventus the Youngest back, but he was resealed. He's allowed me the luxury of living my life."

"I see." Lord Barret fell silent for a moment, digesting the information he was given.

Roxas stood in his spot, eying the dark doorway through which Marlene and her mother had disappeared one after another. Indecision gnawed at his mind: part of him wanted to stay and wait for Marlene to come to her senses and let him speak to her, the other part of him wanted to go since it was obvious that the girl didn't want him here.

"I-" Roxas began, stopping when Eleanor reentered the room. The blonde clamped his mouth shut to hear what the lady of the house had to say.

The sharp-eyed woman looked at him silently for a brief moment, attempting to gauge the boy's thoughts and feelings.

"You're the one who saved my daughter in Revenant Wings," she said sternly, a waver in her voice making the statement sound almost like a question. Roxas nodded quietly in response.

"I'm also the one who caused your daughter and husband to die," he added softly.

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "You don't have the black heart for it." The boy looked away still in uncertainty; both Barret and Eleanor knew that it will have to be up to Marlene to make the blonde forgive himself.

Breathing a soft sigh, Eleanor began again with a smile. "Roxas, I know this is selfish of me to say this, but, thank you for bringing my family back to me." Though her words were meant to cheer Roxas up, the boy only felt guiltier. Yet, he hid away the guilt, smiling weakly at the two parents. He will deal with his own insecurities later.

"Now," she continued, holding his hands in her own with motherly love, "Marlene's refused to see you, but I can tell that you two need to talk it out before long."

"Thank you," Roxas said gratefully, letting the older woman lead him out of the room. He took a glance at Ashe with slight concern, acting very much like the child that he still was.

"Don't worry, I'll be here," she smiled. Roxas nodded and continued following Eleanor further into the house.

They entered into another small open courtyard where a loom sat in the middle, a patterned blanket sat unfinished. Disregarding the loom, they stopped in front of a closed wooden door to the right of the courtyard.

"Marlene," Eleanor said, knocking on the door. She slowly opened the door to find her daughter kneeling on her bed, her crossed arms perched on top of the window sill, and her eyes turned upward at the clear night sky with the hundreds and thousands of stars that twinkled.

"Go on," the woman said, gently pushing Roxas into the room. The boy was reluctant to interrupt the young girl's moment of serenity, but when Eleanor closed the door behind him, he knew that he can no longer remain in indecision.

Taking a deep breath, Roxas quietly stepped over to the bed, kicking his shoes off to join Marlene at the sill.

"It's a beautiful night," he began strongly, but his voice failed him at the end, bothered by the awkwardness between them.

"Are you dead? Did that man kill you?" the girl asked without preamble, her hazelnut eyes watching him with expert scrutiny.

He shook his head. "No. I'm not dead," he answered. Her lips shaped into a silent "o" and she turned away, letting the awkward silence fall between them once again.

"You made papa die," Marlene said bluntly, cutting through Roxas's debate to leave her alone. The blonde froze next to her, confused by her words. She hadn't blamed him for her death, but rather her father's death.

"I caused you to die too," Roxas added shamefully.

"You made papa die," she repeated.

Roxas closed his eyes, his heart aching at the lack of emotions that once decorated Marlene's face and the lack of sparkle within her eyes. He bit his lower lip, holding back the sobs that shook his body ever so slightly. Swallowing thickly, he pulled away from the ledge with all the intent of leaving the girl alone. He was already crossing the room toward the door when a tug on his jacket stopped him. From the corner of his eye, Roxas could see the girl's hands clutching onto the back of his jacket tightly, her head downturned to hide her face. Her soft sobs caused Roxas's tears too to begin falling down.

"It's okay," she said softly with a hint of uncertainty, interrupted briefly by a small hiccup. "I still have papa and mama. It's been such a long time since I saw mama…" She let go of his jacket to wipe at her tear-stained face.

No longer able to hold back the emotions that he kept bottled up, the blonde turned around and let out a choked sob as the tears fell, dropping to his knees in penance. His hands gripped onto her shoulders like she was his anchor and lifeline in all the tragedies that had surrounded him.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm so sorry."

Marlene dropped to her knees as well, throwing her arms around the sobbing teen. "It's okay," she replied, her emotional voice mirrored the tears that fell. "I forgive you."

* * *

Morning greeted Roxas with glaring light, unfiltered through the window that had remained open after he had fallen asleep. The sound of regular breathing not of his own caught his groggy mind, bringing him back from the dream land. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the figure that was curled up in his protective embrace.

Marlene continued to sleep, her eyes shielded from the glare of the sunlight by Roxas's body. Her small hands clutched onto his jacket, never letting go even as she shifted in her sleep. Roxas couldn't help but smile at the girl's clinginess. Though his left arm was numb from being pinned underneath Marlene's sleeping figure, the blonde didn't want to disturb the little girl. He felt extremely serene after the previous evening's catharsis.

His arms tightened around the girl, feeling the need to protect the little girl despite the fact that she no longer needed his protection.

"I guess that's what older brothers are supposed to do," he murmured softly to himself. "Protect their little sisters."

The door slowly creaked open and Lady Ashe poked her head in to check on the two. She quickly smiled and gestured for Roxas to remain in bed when the boy saw her, having remembered that the sandy-haired woman had promised to stay until he was ready to leave.

Knowing that the boy was able to read lips, she quickly mouthed to the teen, telling him that she had to go to the temple to attend to some businesses and that he was to ask Eleanor to bring him back whenever he was ready. He nodded in understanding, smiling at Ashe before she disappeared behind the closed door again.

A shifting of weight upon his arm and a soft groan turned Roxas's head back down to look at the sleeping girl. The sun had crept above the bottom edge of the square window and casted its bright rays upon the corner of Marlene's right eye. In response, the brown-haired child had simply snuggled closer to Roxas, keeping the older boy as her shade from the morning glare.

It was clear that the little girl, regardless of her peppy personality, was _not_ a morning person.

Despite the fact that he was wide awake, Roxas remained still to let Marlene continue to sleep. He allowed himself to reminisce aimlessly, one hand gently caressing Marlene on her head. It wasn't until Eleanor had come to rouse Marlene did the teen truly rise to face the new day in this strange place called Kingdom Hearts.

Breakfast was a simple affair: eggs, toast, and oatmeal.

Roxas was glad to find Marlene back to her usual self midway through breakfast, her morning grouchiness faded away completely with food in her stomach. While there remained a melancholy as with all others who are truly in Kingdom Hearts, she was enthusiastic for the new day and made no qualms in letting the world know.

"How long will you be staying?" she asked happily, her mouth half full with chewed up toast. The boy was amazed by her ability to talk and not spit out the food.

"Marlene," chastised Eleanor. "Don't talk while your mouth's full."

"Oops," blushed the little girl, swallowing before speaking again. "Sorry."

Roxas smiled at her. "I don't know. Soon, probably." Marlene pouted at those words.

"Marlene," Eleanor added, "he doesn't belong here."

"I know," she replied, poking at her unfinished eggs. "I just wanted him to stay, that's all. I don't even know if I'll be able to see him again!"

"You will," her mother answered with a reassuring smile. "We all will. In the Promised Land."

"I told you, you look better when you're smiling," giggled Marlene. Roxas looked at her with surprise for a brief moment and blushed, realizing that she had been right all this time.

The sound of bells jingling interrupted their breakfast.

"I wonder who that could be?" wondered Eleanor aloud, setting aside her napkin to stand up.

"I'll get it!" Marlene exclaimed, pulling her bib off and running out of the kitchen.

"Marlene! No running after eating!" her mother scolded.

"I'll go slow her down," laughed Roxas, leaving Eleanor to return to her meal before catching up to Marlene with his longer strides.

The young girl slowly opened the front door to peek at the person on the other side and found a silver-haired lady looking down at her.

"Stella-bella!" exclaimed Marlene as she swung the door open to admit the lady, hugging her with exuberance.

"Hi, Marlene-dallene," giggled Stella and patting the girl on the head.

"Marlene?" Sora raised an eyebrow at the sight of the brown-haired child. Marlene pulled away from Stella to find the king of Destiny Islands just behind her tutor.

"Sora!" she exclaimed once again, hugging the teen much like she did with Stella just seconds before.

"Roxas," Aqua breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing her brother well. She hugged her brother while Terra inspected his brother closely after finding something different with the way Roxas carried himself.

"Who are you?" Marlene asked curiously, looking from the blue-haired woman who looked strangely familiar to the blond-haired boy and back again.

"I'm Aqua," she smiled, bending down slightly to be at eye level with the young girl. "You must be Marlene. I've heard a lot about you."

"How do you know me?" she asked, shaking Aqua's proffered hand.

"My little brother thinks very highly of you." The girl stared at Roxas for a brief moment, realizing just exactly who the blue-haired woman resembled.

"You're Roxas's sister!" she exclaimed.

"And mine," added Stella with a giggle.

"Wow," Marlene breathed in awe, "you have a large family."

"I envy you guys," commented Sora. "Must be nice to have a large family and that many siblings."

Terra scoffed at those words. "Not when you're the only boy stuck with two sisters."  
"Hey!" Aqua and Stella replied at the same time, "what's that supposed to mean?"

"You see what I have to deal with!?" the red-haired man said petulantly, waving his arms in the air in exaggerated annoyance. Both Sora and Riku laughed at the show of sophomoric behavior, especially from the 23-year-old man.

"Besides," joked Riku, "you got me and Kairi. What more could you want?" He wrapped Sora in a headlock and tousled the slighter teen's hair.

"No one wants you for a brother, Riku!" exclaimed Sora.

The silver-haired teen released his friend and took a step back, feigning injury to his chest with his hands covering his heart. "Ouch, I'm hurt, Sora."

The king of Destiny Islands only blew a raspberry at him.

Marlene giggled at their antics.

"We should head back inside," Roxas said, a ghost of a smile on his face. "You sure haven't finished your breakfast yet."

"Come join us!" the little girl said, not giving them any time to respond before grabbing Roxas's and Stella's hands and dragging them into the house. The rest of the group followed them with amusement.

* * *

They ended up staying over at Marlene's house longer than Stella had intended to.

Eleanor had welcomed them warmly, cooking more food for their unexpected guests. It wasn't until after first lunch did Marlene's friends in Kingdom Hearts, the various kids who attended the same class as Marlene under Stella's tutelage, visit and took the energetic little girl's attention with them. Though Roxas wasn't sure if it was the last time he would see the girl, she refused to say farewell to the teen and he subsequently said nothing, only watched Marlene disappear beyond the door chasing after her friends.

As they toured the great city, Stella informed them of the longer days in Kingdom Hearts; where daylight lasted twice as long as they did in their own world. So despite the second meal they've already had, it was still morning.

When asked where the food came from, Stella simply led them to the district beyond the horizon where they had their midday luncheon. The Country district was the breadbasket of Kingdom Hearts, one of the largest boroughs of the vast city, where food was grown and raised to be distributed throughout the city. And it was there were they had their midday meal, joined by Lord Rasler who had come to the Country district to speak to the various farmers. Yet, Sora sensed that it was more of a gesture of reassurance for the broken families than an actual interest in the status of the crops and herds.

Over the course of the day, Sora noted that despite finding Kingdom Hearts to be a utopia, there were plenty of things that suggested otherwise. Concern over their own despair dictated their every move; the fear that succumbing to their own hopelessness and cast them from this world of light back into the realm of darkness was shared by all, even Stella and Sora's father.

There were, of course, those who did indeed succumb to their melancholy, falling into madness with the knowledge that they were stuck in limbo overwhelming them. They lashed out against the society, hurting people that they cannot kill for no one is truly alive. They were pitied and brought out of their cycle of violent insanity, placed in the services of the temples to teach them how to accept the truth, how to look forward to the day when they will be freed to enter into the Promised Land, the afterlife that awaited them, though that belief might not actually come to pass. The somber conversation reminded them of the task assigned to them and the importance of their success; it wasn't just their own world that relied upon them, those who died to the Heartless counted on them as well.

Sora surmised that it was because of this reminder that made them feel the nostalgia for home.

"I wonder how Kairi's doing," Riku muttered aloud as he looked unseeingly at the cloudless sky; they had finished their grand tour of the city and were now just heading back to Stella's house. Even though the day had been twice as long as Stella informed them, none of them felt the least bit tired.

The king of Destiny Islands watched his friend with a healthy dose of worry mixed in with homesickness. He knew as well as the rest of them did that while they spent in this paradise teetering on the edge of ruin, their own world was in danger of being destroyed by the Heartless. They couldn't let Kairi face the end by herself.

"When will we be able to leave?" Sora asked their hosts.

The previous warmth that they felt from Stella and Rasler suddenly vanished and the pair looked at each other stiffly, stopping in their tracks. Neither answered the question immediately.

Roxas narrowed his eyes and caught a glimpse of guilt within his sister's eyes. Though confused by the strange expression, the boy knew that something was terribly wrong.

"Let's continue back," Rasler said instead when it was clear that his companion was not going to speak. The others looked at one another with confusion and worry, particularly the siblings as Stella was uncharacteristically forlorn.

The walk back to the temple held no words between the seven with the Keyblade wielders following their hosts at a brisk walk. The many denizens of Kingdom Hearts bowed to them in respect but said nothing else, returning to their usual businesses once they've passed.

It almost made the walk unbearable for Sora, as the silence that surrounded them only brought forth an irrational fear and with it the feeling of vertigo.

A hand caught him before the brunet collapsed onto the cloud-covered ground. He looked up at the person who pulled him up and found Basch's stern-looking face looking down kindly at him.

"Captain Basch," Sora said with surprise. Where had the man come from?

"Do not let unanswered questions weigh you down," he told the young king.

"W-what?" Sora uttered with further confusion.

"You should learn to abandon the questions that are unanswered."

"Wouldn't you feel terrible to not know?" frowned Sora.

"Sometimes, moving on is better than knowing the truth," the man replied. "Just keep in mind, you must learn to move on." With those words, the man walked in the opposite direction of where they were going.

Sora watched as the man disappeared into the crowd, his cryptic words having the direct opposite effect on the teen. Instead of following the man's advice and setting aside the many questions, the teen only had more questions that rooted him to where he stood.

"Sora?" Roxas's soft voice reached him. The brown-haired king turned to find the blonde looking at him with concern; the others were well ahead of them already.

"Sorry," the king replied with a smile. "Just having a word with Captain Basch. Let's go."

Roxas nodded quietly, saying nothing further about the matter, though he remained worried for his beloved. He took Sora's hand with a soft smile of understanding and the pair ran after their friends, catching up to them just as they entered the house where they were staying while they remained in Kingdom Hearts.

Without stopping in the receiving room, Rasler headed directly toward the study accessed through the open court where Master Yen Sid predictably was. Stella followed demurely, worrying her siblings even more.

The stern-looking lord of Kingdom Hearts looked up from a set of parchments when the doors to the study swung open. Ashelia, who had been studying the transcript as well, looked at them with surprise and a hint of apprehension, as though she knew what the ensuing conversation would be about.

"They inquire about departure," Lord Rasler announced tersely, his lips set in a thin line. Standing next to him, Stella stood stiffly, her posture suggesting to her observant little brother that she was steeling herself against some reprimand.

"You haven't told them?" the elderly man said sternly, looking at the silver-haired woman. Stella visibly flinched at the sharp tone the man used, shaking her head silently.

Master Yen Sid breathed a sigh of exasperation; in the time he's known the silver-haired lady, it was her lack of foresight that had annoyed him time and time again. It had been her rashness that led to her own death at the hands of the Heartless after all. Still, he couldn't fault her for her unwavering loyalty to her family and friends, her optimism for the bleak future. He simply wished that she would put more thought into her actions.

"You can leave at any time," he said. The five simply stared at him with confusion. After all, if it was clear that they could leave, why couldn't Rasler and Stella tell them? The fact that Yen Sid looked over at the silver-haired girl was not lost on them.

"You can leave," Stella repeated softly, her eyes downcast in guilt, "but Roxas must stay."

The soft words seemed to hang in the still air for several seconds as the five Keyblade wielders froze with dread. The words rang in Sora's ears repeatedly before the brown-haired teen snapped out of his shock though his eyes remained wide and the pupils unusually dilated.

"What? Why?" he demanded, staring at Stella as though a bucket of cold water had been thrown onto him.

The silver-haired woman remained silent as her younger brother processed the words that she had uttered. He knew then why he couldn't leave.

"It's because of Ventus the Youngest, isn't it?" he asked, his voice trembling with the fear that that his theory would be confirmed. "He was killed by the Nameless Key and so was supposed to be here."

She raised her head, her eyes brimming with unshed tears of sadness, and nodded. "Your life is bound to that of Ventus the Youngest." She swallowed thickly before bursting into tears, embracing Roxas tightly with heaving sobs. "I'm sorry. I didn't know this would happen when I brought you here."

"Is there no way for Roxas to come back?" Sora asked despairingly. The thought that he would return to Destiny Islands without the blonde scared him. Even though he hadn't known his former Nobody for more than a year, he couldn't fathom living without the emotionally strong teen, the one who stood by his side the whole time he has suffered.

"There is a way," Master Yen Sid said stoically. "But it requires tremendous sacrifice on both Roxas and Ventus's part."

"And that is?" urged Terra, his unusually pale face belied any shock that he had felt when his sister uttered the words that may as well have been Roxas's death sentence.

"Ventus will have to remain here with Roxas's assistance," he answered. "And because he is attached to your brother, it will have to come at a price of Roxas's heart."

"How can Roxas return to our world without a heart then!?" Sora reacted violently. It was with Riku's restraint upon him that the distraught brunet didn't lash out at the stern-looking ruler of Kingdom Hearts. "He wouldn't be alive!"

"He would be alive," the man answered calmly, unfazed by the teen's emotional outburst. "But he would feel nothing."

"He would be a true Nobody," continued Aqua fearfully. Yen Sid nodded solemnly.

"C-can you leave us alone?" Roxas asked softly, his Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed down a lump of discomfort.

Stella sniffed and nodded, pulling away from her brother as she wiped at her eyes, trying to stem the tears that continued to fall. With Yen Sid's help, she left the room physically and emotionally drained after bottling up the truth for the entire day that the five remained.

Aqua looked at the blonde in despair, knowing perfectly well that they had lost Roxas again, regardless of the boy's choice to return with them or not. Standing beside her, Terra was livid, though he kept himself from losing his composure and letting his anger get the better of him. Letting out a low growl, the pale red-haired man stormed out of the room, the pain in his heart was so great that even he was struggling to not burst into tears.

Silently, his blue-haired sister left the room as well, closing the door behind her with resignation dictating her every move.

"There must be some other way!" Sora exclaimed the moment the door closed. Tears streamed down his face unchecked and the king made no move to wipe them away, letting the salty liquid blur his vision.

"It'll be fine, Sora," Roxas said softly, closing the distance between the two to hold the crying teen in his arms.

"No, it won't!" cried the king.

"Well, think on the bright side," the former Nobody attempted to stay optimistic even as tears fell from his own eyes, hitting the navy blue jacket Sora always had on. "At least Xehanort can't get to me now."

Sora's tears stopped suddenly with those words. He recalled the threat Xehanort made after he brought Ventus back, the promise that Ventus the Youngest would suffer at his hands that made his solitude in the darkness feel like paradise. He shivered in irrational fear at the possibilities that the sinister man have in store for Ventus and Roxas, the knowledge that the man had no mercy simply made the fear greater.

"Sora," Roxas whispered softly, rubbing circles on the distraught teen's back. Slowly, Sora's fears disappeared, leaving behind the immutable fork in the road—one led to ruin of their beloved world, the one that their ancestors fought so hard to protect; the other led to uncertain future for himself. He can't even fathom loving another person. Still, the decision was clear and whether he wanted to or not, there was only one path to go.

Acceptance of their separate destinies dampened his spirits, and Sora pulled away from Roxas's comforting embrace with a glassy look in his eyes. It broke Roxas's heart to see his lover so broken, but that was the sacrifice they had to make for their friends, their families, the rest of the world that looked to them for guidance against the Heartless.

Such was the price of wielding the power of light.

Roxas didn't go to see the other four off when it was time for them to leave Kingdom Hearts. And it was just fine for Sora. Both of them knew that they wouldn't be able to go through the separation if they had seen one another right before Yen Sid sent them back.

Aqua was crying when they were ready to leave. Terra was struggling to not cry, his heart wishing that none of this ever happened. Neither of the two wished to lose their brother and their sister yet again, but it must be done for the sake of those who depended on them.

The quartet of Keyblade wielders stood on the lone wooden dock leading into an expanse of dark clouds. Lightning streaked across the clouds here and there, signifying the turbulent skies beneath them. A small skiff sat over the dark clouds, swaying like it was on water.

"The Keyblades will open the door for you when you reach it," Yen Sid said sternly as he pointed in the direction of the said door to the light. "Where the door will take you, however, is anyone's guess."

"Thank you," Riku said for the group since the rest of his companions were all too forlorn to speak.

"Sora," King Noctis called out to his son. "This isn't the end. You'll see him again."

The brunet gave his father an awkward smile. He didn't know what his father had meant by that. Would Roxas be that stubborn and try to come back even at the expense of his heart? He didn't want to think of the possibilities of their awkward reunion.

"Good-bye, the Chosen ones of the Keyblades," said Lord Rasler.

"Live and fight," added Lady Ashelia. "The light will guide your way."

"Farewell, my brothers and sister," Stella said with a wave as the four boarded the skiff. "Don't cry anymore. The world needs you. We need you. We will always be in your hearts."

"Bye," Riku said tersely.

"Bye," Sora parroted the parting words.

"Farewell, Stella," Terra said, swallowing to hold back his tears of sadness and howls of frustration. He quickly turned his eyes away from the group that had gathered at the end of the dock to look into the distance. He knew that if he kept his eyes on the future, the past would not be able to cast him into a sea of melancholy.

The small skiff left the dock and slowly moved over the gray clouds toward the direction Yen Sid had told them to head in. It wasn't until that they were several boat lengths from the dock did Aqua finally stopped her sobs and stepped towards the end of the skiff.

"Good-bye, Stella!" she cried. "I'll miss you dearly!"

"And I will miss you all!" came Stella's distant reply. Her waves of good-bye were quicker with those words and Aqua couldn't help but wave just as quickly in response, letting out a watery laugh. She continued waving until she could no longer see the city in the heavens.

"I wished I could say good-bye to Ven," Aqua said softly, almost to herself.

"We have to be strong for him," Terra said gruffly, his voice laden with checked emotions. "We can't let…" He couldn't finish his words.

"He's not dead," Sora said grimly, his sapphire eyes looked into the distance with cold clarity. "He'll find a way to come back to us. He promised." The way he spat out the last word made Riku frown, but the prince of Twilight Town made no comments. Though Terra knew that it was a fool's hope to think that his brother could ever return to them, his heart held on to it firmly while Aqua struggled with herself to keep the hope or to face the reality of the future that was in front of them.

A tense few moments passed before the top of the giant white doors that Yen Sid had told them about appeared on the horizon. They breathed a collective sigh of relief, knowing that they were actually going home, but a bitterness remained with the loss of Roxas.

As they neared the doors, their Keyblades—ones they wielded for battle and the ones they retrieved from the Stations of Serenities—suddenly appeared around them, sailing through the air like fairy sprites. When the boat came to a sudden halt, the Keyblades all straightened, creating a circle around the boat. Beams of light shot from the tips of the weapons and met at the top of the single mast of the skiff. From that point, another beam of white light shot towards the giant keyhole in the middle of the white door. The black hole filled with rainbow-like light and disintegrated just as the sound of a door being unlocked echoed across the "ocean" loudly.

The double doors began to swing open, letting bright light blind their eyes. The boat resumed its voyage toward the door and passed through the giant doors smoothly. White light surrounded them all, cocooning them in warmth.

Like Master Yen Sid said, no one knew where they would end up. As the ground dropped out underneath them, they could only hope that they wouldn't be separated when they returned.

_

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: Oh my gosh, it's been over two months since I last updated. Holy crap. Between getting distracted with Final Fantasy XIII, which I haven't completely finished yet, new ideas popping up in my head, and never finding a good place to end this chapter until now, I've finally managed to complete this chapter in all of its 14k words glory. Still, I'm not quite satisfied with the length. Probably because I'm under the impression that chapter lengths should reflect the period of time in between updates, haha._

_As usual, there are references to be pointed out. Ashelia, Rasler, and Basch are all from Final Fantasy XII. Stella's last name "Averia" is supposed to be the original name for Lightning Farron, the main protagonist of Final Fantasy XIII, but they ended up choosing Éclair for her first name in Japanese version, Claire in the English version. (Sorry if I spoiled that tidbit for you guys). Eleanor is Marlene's birth mother in Final Fantasy VII, but she was not married to Barret in game but married to Dyne, who is Marlene's actual birth father in FF7. I chose to make Barret and Eleanor a pair mainly for simplicity, hehe._

_For me, this chapter is a mishmash of sorts the juxtaposition of the Heartless realm and Kingdom Hearts, the somewhat banal incorporation of characters that otherwise would never interact with the main characters, the heart-to-heart talks, etc., quite predictable from me to be honest. I chose not to elaborate upon or even hinting at the possible topics for the conversation between Sora and his father mainly because it'll be touched upon in the next chapter or the one after that. I can't say I particularly liked the way the chapter ended, separating Sora and Roxas yet again, but it had to be done. Whether they'll reunite again is anyone's guess—well, I actually already know if they'll reunite, but I'm not going to tell you._

_In any case, my apologies for such a long hiatus. Hope you enjoyed the update and such. We are nearing the end of the story, like it or not. So look forward to it, ne?_


	22. Someday the Dream Will End

_To reviewers of chapter 20 and others:_

_Blaid: Heh heh. I'm not a big fan of Vanitas, especially now that I've played some parts of BBS. Seeing an evil guy who looks like a certain someone just seems… so wrong. Of course, it makes you wonder what exactly is Sora going to do to save Terra, Aqua, and Ventus._

_Lil Nizzer: Well, of course bad things have to happen, that's what makes a good story! Unless you're talking about a comedy fic, then bad things never really happen! Thanks for the compliment. I aim to evoke many different emotions. Hehe._

_DarkBombayAngel: Well, keep on reading and you'll see if Roxas gets to reunite with Sora._

_Azuresapphire15: You know, I feel like I'm just repeating the entire separation then reunion cliché in this fanfic, haha. So, in a way, I'm hinting at what's going to happen next already. Oh dear. And I've actually tried to read _"Kiss and I Will Surrender"_, but I wasn't that into it for some reason. Guess it's not my cuppa tea._

_Henrietta Skylink: Thanks for all the compliments! But I think I still need to flesh out the characters somewhat. Sometimes I feel like they have the same personalities, yuck. Of course, I'm holding myself to a higher standard that my audience might not hold for me, haha._

_Miheart Sundae: Yeah, it's one of the longest chapters. I don't know if I'll be able to top that with my later chapters._

_ArcBishop: Well, chapter 12 is meant to be warm and fluffy. It's a nice change from all the death and blood in chapter 11. Hope you'll enjoy this chapter just as much._

_yangires: Alas, I didn't find the inspiration to update soon. Sorry! But finally, an update!_

* * *

**Chapter 21 – Someday the Dream Will End**

* * *

Roxas mirrored the position that he took with Marlene just three nights ago again. He looked up at the stars and breathed a sigh of resignation.

_"I'm sorry, Roxas,"_ a voice met his ears; his own voice, but not from himself.

"It's okay, Ventus," he said aloud to the air. He closed his eyes and snorted at the sight that met him, the frown upon his ancestor's face and the irritation within the blue depths.

_"Hardly okay,"_ the man retorted. Memories of the few days that had passed since _their_ departure flew past the boy's vision rapidly, giving him no time to breath as the air caught in his throat.

"What do you expect me to do?" Roxas hissed angrily, eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

"_Nothing_," Ventus replied in his mind. "_Just give me seven days_."

"To do what?" the boy asked with annoyance.

"_To right this wrong_," was the only reply.

* * *

_There was a knock on the door but Roxas disregarded it, wrapping himself up in the sheets where Sora's scent lingered. He curled up under the sheets, eyes shut tightly in an attempt to ignore the knock that threatened to destroy the flimsy illusion that surrounded the blond-haired boy._

_ "Roxas," Stella's voice came muffled across the threshold of the door. The boy didn't reply._

_ The knocks turned into louder pounds._

_ "Go away!" the boy rasped out, his voice coarse from holding back the sobs and tears that burst forth from his broken heart._

_ "You can't stay in there forever," she tried to reason with the distraught teen. "Sora wouldn't want that."_

_ A moment of silence passed before the door was viciously pulled open._

_ "What do you know!" retorted Roxas angrily, streams of tears fell continuously from the bloodshot eyes. His face was red not from embarrassment at the show of emotions but from the emotions themselves._

_ "I know how you felt," Stella said, shrinking away from the upset teen. "Because I had to leave Riku behind."_

_ "Does Riku know?" Roxas asked, his anger fading with melancholy, realization that everyone on Kingdom Hearts has left people behind made him feel guilty for his selfishness._

_ "I don't know," Stella answered softly. "I don't even know his feelings for me," she snorted sardonically. Roxas didn't know how to answer that, knowing perfectly well that Riku's heart would always be with Kairi and Naminé. Had Stella not died when she died, perhaps it would've all changed._

_ "I can't stay here," Roxas said softly. "I'm sorry, Stella. But there are things that I have to figure out on my own; things that I can't figure out if I'm here."_

_ The woman gave him a sad smile. "I understand," she said, "but where will you stay if not here?"_

_ "Marlene's," was the simple answer._

* * *

The land was charred, black with charcoal ashes. The air reeked of burnt wood and acrid death, blackened corpses of beasts unfortunate to be caught in the sudden conflagration laid across the wasteland.

In the far distance, smoke rose in the mountains and flashes of red light illuminated the dark sky. The sounds of fighting could barely be heard as wind swept towards the mountains.

A small sparkle of light appeared above the epicenter of the great explosion that destroyed the forest that surrounded the Nibelheim steppes. As the light began to grow, the air swirled about the circle in a tornado gathering speed, picking up ashes and debris. From afar, one could only see the dangerous tornado, none of what was happening within the eye. The light filled the core of the unnatural cyclone before suddenly, the windstorm dispersed. The light that had filled the entire tornado had exploded and faded without any indications that it had been there in the first place. The sharp winds had turned into soft breezes, passing over burning wood and causing them to collapse.

Left behind upon that clearing were four figures, each one unconscious as their spirits returned to them.

A soft breeze caressed their uncovered faces, passing through their dust-covered hair. A pair of closed eyes scrunched up before they slowly opened to reveal sapphire blue eyes, looking unfocused into the distance.

Sora groaned as he pushed himself up into a sitting position, coughing as the movement stirred up the wooden ashes around him. The sound of cannons in the far distance rang in his ear and he turned towards the direction of the sound, narrowing his eyes upon the red, orange, and yellow lights that flashed in the mountains. Dark smoke billowed upward into the night sky, barely noticeable if not for the lights that illuminated it.

He slowly stood up, dusting himself off and taking a deep breath of appreciation. Though the smell of burnt wood and charred flesh was in the air, Sora knew that he wasn't in the Realm of the Heartless; he was, indeed, back home.

The king of Destiny Islands looked about himself, frowning at the desolate sight. Near them, a smoldering tree collapsed as the fire that had blackened it finally cut through the trunk. The conflagration had left behind a wasteland where a forest once was.

Sora's eyes narrowed with suspicion and he quickly whipped about himself, scanning the distance for clues before he found the ghost town that was the capital of Nibelheim. At that exact moment, his pupils dilated with shock at the destruction that surrounded him. How was it possible for an entire forest to disappear like that?

He looked down on the ground and found his companions unconscious on the ground, their spirits not yet returned to them fully. Wordlessly, he knelt down next to Riku and shook him.

"Riku, wake up," he said firmly and instantly, his silver-haired friend stirred.

"Ohh," he moaned, holding his head with one hand to steady it as dizziness messed with his perspective. Sora smirked silently with amusement and went to wake Terra and Aqua.

"Where are we?" asked Aqua once all of them had gathered themselves and were standing strong on their own two feet.

Sora pointed towards the mountains, where a grotesque lightshow continued to play.

"Wha?" Aqua uttered as they all turned their attention toward the mountains. Terra hissed in a breath when he found the telltale flag of Nibelheim flying above the royal castle.

"We're in Nibelheim," Riku said softly. "Naminé. Kairi!" he exclaimed, running in the direction of the town and the mountain passage leading up to the forge.

"Riku, wait!" Sora shouted with his hand stretched towards the running teen, but his friend disregarded him.

"Let's go," Terra said coldly, racing after the worried prince. Aqua nodded silently and followed the man, pulling Sora along with her.

"Our friends need us," she said with a smile. Sora returned the smile and nodded in agreement.

The four made their way toward the distant battlefield, their hearts praying that they weren't too late.

* * *

_Sora wasn't just curious about where Roxas's sister was taking him; no, he was very much intrigued by the mystery behind Stella's words. The fact that this person requesting _only_ his presence simply made him wonder more._

_ They left the estate under the night sky, brilliant stars dotting the midnight blue. The lack of a bright moon in the sky to rival the stars was strange, but the brown-haired king supposed that it was only because he was standing on the "moon" of this world._

_ They didn't need to go far before they entered another house, Stella unlocking the front door as though she lived there herself. Like the house where he had woken up in, there was an open courtyard just behind the front entrance leading into the living and dining room. They passed through those areas to enter into another open courtyard where a man sat in a reclining couch staring up at the stars. A campfire burned in a pit nearby and on top of the small table next to the man was a set of parchments and a quill in an inkpot. The sweet scent of pipeweed permeated the air; its source was the clay pipe that sat perched upon the man's lips._

_ Sora's eyes widened with shock at the sight of the man of the house: gray streaks through midnight blue hair, eyes with the same shade of blue as his own, the angular face of a handsome man into his early fifties. There was no one else with the same features as those of the former king of Destiny Islands, Sora's father, King Noctis._

_ Noctis sat up from where he lied and found Stella and Sora standing in the courtyard. He smiled at the sight of his son and set the clay pipe in an ashtray upon the table._

_ "Dad!" exclaimed Sora with tears of joy in his eyes, rushing over to his father to bear hug the man. In the presence of his father, he was very much the child that he still was, a child who had missed his own father greatly._

_ "Sora," his father greeted in his rich voice, one that the teen had not heard since he left Destiny Islands on his grand tour-turned-world-saving quest._

_ Stella smiled at the warm sight of the reunion of father and son before quietly leaving the pair alone. She had her own reunion to tend to after all._

_ The two embraced for a while as Sora took his time to let the moment soak in. The feeling of his father's hand patting his head like the man used to do when he was a child felt nice and nostalgic. Eventually, the tears stopped and Sora pulled away from the embrace, wiping away the tears that remained upon his cheeks with a laugh._

_ "Come, sit with me, my son," Noctis said sonorously, taking a seat on the reclining couch. Sora followed suit with a nod._

_ "How have you been?" Sora asked, the question blurted out without the teen giving it much thought. He was absolutely ecstatic at finding his father well, but at the same time, sadness lingered within; the knowledge that his father was truly dead dampening some of the exuberance he felt at that exact moment._

_ "As well as anyone can expect," the dead man replied with a hearty laugh. "How about you?"_

_ "I'm well," the teenager answered with a smile._

_ "How's your mother?" Sora looked away in shame._

_ "I messed up," he murmured._

_ "Tell me everything," smiled Noctis encouragingly._

_ At his father's request, Sora proceeded to detail everything that had happened after his first departure from Destiny Islands on the world tour. He spoke of his battles, his fears, his relationship with Roxas, his destiny as a descendant of the Three, and much more. He painfully explained how the seal on the Nameless Key came to be broken, how he alienated his mother and friends, sent away the only person close enough to his heart, and the mess that led to their presence on Kingdom Hearts. Noctis didn't interrupt his son at any point in his narrative, simply listening attentively until the boy was done._

_ At the end of Sora's monologue, the teenage king waited apprehensively at his father's reaction, as though he sensed a rebuke coming from the elder man._

_ Instead, Noctis was not at all reproachful of Sora's actions. He gave a soft chuckle with a shake of his head, much to his son's bemusement._

_ "What's so funny?" frowned the brown-haired teen._

_ "You've grown so much," Noctis said. "But so much like your own father." He paused for a little bit, leaning back on the couch to look up at the stars that remained immobile in the night sky. "You wouldn't remember it—you were only two years old back then, but I acted just like you when your grandfather died. I pushed everyone away, especially your grandmother."_

_ "How did you come to your senses then?"_

_ "You," smiled Noctis, turning to face Sora. "I couldn't push you away no matter what I did. You were always seeking my attention, especially after you started walking. It was then that I realized that the Kingdom of Destiny Islands is not meant for one person to rule. It was a kingdom of the family, of the line of Ventus the Youngest. It was a kingdom for the people._

_ "These responsibilities, these powers. They weren't meant to be wielded by one person alone, not when the risk of failure is too great."_

_ "Like the prophecy," added Sora. "Riku, Kairi, and I all hold the powers to save our world."_

_ "And so do Roxas and his siblings."_

_ The blue-eyed teenager nodded in understanding. "As long as we live, we'll make sure the Heartless will no longer roam free in our world."_

_ "And soon, they won't be in our world at all," continued Noctis._

_ Silence fell between the pair as Sora processed his father's words._

_ "D…" Sora began softly, "do you remember when you had the Nameless Key in you?" His voice was small and filled with irrational fear; the recent episode with Chernabog only proved that the seal upon that cursed Keyblade was not unbreakable._

_ "Yes," answered Noctis. "Granted, I didn't know about it until your grandfather told me when I was your age. The Nameless Key lied pretty much dormant until the days before you were conceived. I had terrible nightmares back then and sinister whispers in my ears. It was truly maddening. Luckily, I had your mom and your grandparents to help me through that phase."_

_ The former king paused briefly to gather his thoughts. "I should never have sent you on that tour," he said softly, feeling guilty for what had happened to his son. "Had I known that you would be engaged in battle…"_

_ "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" asked Sora, his voice belying the disappointment that he felt at the moment._

_ Noctis sighed in defeat, melancholy freezing his body. "I thought you were too young to be told of our curse before you left. Your mother and I decided that we would tell you once you've returned from your trip, however long it might be. Neither one of us thought that we'd only sent you on a battle-filled journey to fulfill your destiny. To be honest, I didn't even think that the Nameless Key could have been released as it did."_

_ "You thought the seal was strong enough to withstand any attempts to release the Key?"_

_ The older man nodded quietly. "The Key had been released only once after it was sealed into Ventus the Youngest and that happened with his granddaughter, Xion. She was present at Rabanastre, the capital of Nabradia-Dalmasca, when it fell to Heartless forces. Her father was the one who resealed the Keyblade and his cousins from Radiant Garden and Twilight Town—the sons of the Three and their children—added further barriers to keep the Nameless Key from escaping._

_ "Even when I fought in that last war against Maleficent and her Bastion Imperialists, I was always confident that the Key would not come out and wreak havoc. Now that I think back, I was never in a position where the Nameless Key might break through its seal."_

_ "Dad," Sora began, swallowing a lump of discomfort to prepare himself for the question he was about to pose to his father. "Xehanort said that the reason why the Heartless remain in our world is because of the presence of the Nameless Key. Does that mean the Key has to be taken out of me? Will I die when that happens?"_

_ Noctis was silent for a length of time; while he had heard from Yen Sid of his theories regarding the connection their world had with the Heartless and the theories to sever the open connection between the two realms, he hadn't given much thought to the possibility that his son would have to sacrifice himself to ensure the Heartless would no longer enter into their beloved world._

_ The pregnant pause worried Sora slightly; death was never something one as young as Sora ever thought of, after all._

_ "You will know what to do when the time comes," Noctis answered neutrally._

_ "Even if it means dying?" asked the teen with a frown._

_ "I don't doubt you'll find a way to solve this riddle," the former king answered with a smile. "Death is not the only solution to all problems. Remember that, Sora."_

_ Though Noctis hadn't denied the possibility that his own son would have to make a grave sacrifice to save his world, he did give Sora hope that there is a brighter future. Death was not all that awaited him._

_ "Thanks, dad," smiled the brown-haired teen. Noctis returned the smile with a grin of his own, a reflection of Sora's own face, and tousled the boy's spiky hair._

_ That night, Sora let a sense of normalcy bring a rare but welcomed calm to his otherwise rollercoaster-like life. For one night, it didn't matter that the blue-eyed boy held the future of a world in his hands; it didn't matter that he was the king of Destiny Islands. For one night, he was simply Sora, his father's son._

* * *

Marlene quietly opened the door to Roxas's room with clear intentions to catch her surrogate brother by surprise twinkling within her eyes, a mischievous grin on her face. Her plan quickly faded away when she found an unoccupied room. The bed was made, though didn't look like it had been slept in at all the past evening. A white envelope with her name written sat propped up against the inkwell that was used to pen the letter.

The smile that had been on her face turned into a frown of curiosity as she approached the desk. Her dainty hands picked the letter up and opened the envelope to read the letter within.

"Dear Marlene," the letter began quite formally.

"This past week has been a whirl for me. Thank you for bringing me back from the brink with your optimism and understanding. I know I had not been the older brother I should be for you and while you have forgiven me, I fear that I will never forgive myself. That is why the time has come for me to move on. It is time for me to return to Sora, to right the wrongs that I have caused. Tell your parents that I thank them for their hospitality.

"Good-bye, Marlene. May you and your family find peace in the Promised Land.

"Yours truly,

"Roxas."

The girl's hands trembled at the letter, her eyes widened with shock.

"Mama!" she cried, flying out of the room in search of her mother. "Mama!"

"What is it, Marlene?" Eleanor's worried voice came, the woman quickly stepping into the open courtyard next to the kitchen.

"Look!" the child said, waving the letter before placing it into her mother's hands. "Roxas left!"

Eleanor's grey eyes quickly scanned over the letter, a frown deepening upon her face. "Marlene, go tell Stella. Show the letter to her. I'm going to go stop him."

"Do you know where he is?" she asked worried.

"I think so," smiled the mother reassuringly.

The brown-haired girl nodded with a confirmatory "okay" before running out of the house in the direction of Yen Sid's house where Stella dwelled. In her heart, she prayed fervently that the silver-haired woman had not left her home yet.

* * *

_In his tear-filled state, Sora was unaware when or how he came to retire into a bedroom with Roxas by his side. All he remembered was the feeling of soft cotton against his heated skin as he lied down on the plush mattress._

_ Likewise, Roxas had been equally preoccupied that when Stella showed them the room, he completely missed the forlorn expression that seemed to be etched upon the woman's heart-shaped face. Though no one truly faulted her for her actions in bringing Roxas into Kingdom Hearts, her face and eyes spoke volumes of her self-deprecating belief._

_ He didn't even remember when Stella left them alone again._

_ They lied underneath the covers without words. Roxas had his arms wrapped around Sora's body, who curled up in a fetal position with his head resting against the crux where the blonde's neck met his shoulders. Neither one dared to speak for fear of shattering the fragile moment, one where the pair was isolated from the outside world—where nothing else mattered but their last moments together as far as they were concerned._

_ The tears had stopped for awhile before the brunet shifted in his position, the ensuing rustling of the comforter covering the pair filled the void in the air. It was enough to encourage Roxas to break the wordless silence._

_ "Are you better now?" he asked softly, the tentativeness within his voice was enough to tell Sora that his blond-haired protector, companion, lover was just as distressed by their situation as he was. The stoicism that Roxas usually had seemed to disappear altogether upon handed his "death sentence". Even the brief show of optimism back in Yen Sid's study had slipped through the boy's grasp like sand between his fingers._

_ "Not really," Sora answered truthfully. "But there's nothing much I can do about it now, hmm?"_

_ Roxas let out a sigh in annoyance, the fear of their situation turning into frustration at their lack of control over their future. Letting Sora's head fall against the pillow, he kissed the top of Sora's head and breathed in the brunet's scent deeply, adding to his vault of memories about Sora. If this was to be their last moments together, then he would do everything to make it a happy memory, not just for himself, but for Sora._

_ As Roxas brought his hands up to caress the older teen's hair, Sora seemed to have the same idea regarding that moment. He uncurled from his position and pulled Roxas down so they were looking eye to eye. The king had a soft smile on his face before he kissed his former Nobody on the lips briefly. The kiss grew more passionate as their tongues battled each other. At the end, their lips were swollen and their cheeks flushed pink._

_ Sora couldn't help but giggle when Roxas's lips met his neck, tickling him with kisses trailing down the side. The younger teen's hands left the brown mop of messy hair to undo the buttons that fastened the flowing white shirt. In the mean time, the brunet ran his hands through Roxas's own yellow hair, still amazed at how soft the blond locks were. They felt much thinner and lighter than his own hair, much like that of a newborn babe._

_ He breathed a sigh of content and allowed Roxas to pull away so he could be helped out of the dress shirt. Had his eyes been open, he wouldn't have missed the slight frown that marred his lover's handsome face—the disapproving look that reflected within the ice blue eyes._

_ Indeed, Roxas was not happy to see the slight bumps on Sora's skin where his ribs just barely stuck out. He knew that Sora hadn't been taking care of himself after he left and it showed even now, a few weeks after the fact. He could only pray to the gods that Sora would not fall into the same self-destructing pattern as he did once he returned to their world._

_ Sensing something was wrong since Roxas was immobile for a considerably long time, Sora opened his eyes bewildered. At that exact moment, Roxas quickly masked the negativity expressed upon his face, refusing to let their last moments together be tarnished by such concerns and doubts. He must trust that Sora will do whatever was needed to save their world, and save Roxas as well. He must trust that Sora will not blindly throw his life away once the prophecy is fulfilled, that the brunet will rule Destiny Islands until Time comes to claim him._

_ "Is something wrong?" Sora asked, a confused frown upon his pink-tinted face. The blonde shook his head, smiling in his own serene way at the king._

_ "No, nothing is wrong," he answered, "just admiring you."_

_ The blush that decorated Sora's tanned face darkened as though the king was like an abashed child who had just been kissed by his crush. He watched as Roxas worshipped his body with feathery touches and tender kisses. He gasped when he felt wetness upon his heated skin; Roxas's tongue nimbly licking across his body._

_ Bliss wrapped about them in a cocoon, dispelling the grim reality of their situation and their imminent separation. All they knew at that exact moment was their undying love for each other. The tender touches, the sweet kisses, the hesitation in continuing on only added to the dreamlike quality of their lovemaking._

_ Maybe it was all a dream, but neither teen cared._

_ Having been trained to serve in every way possible, Roxas managed to find his love's weaknesses and each moan and gasp only made his smiles grow slightly wider._

_ Sora was not as naïve as the blonde had thought, though. Before he had a chance to truly pleasure his king, the brunet had stopped him and pulled him up to kiss him with an intensity that Roxas could only drink in._

_ With the bare minimum guidance from Roxas, the king of Destiny Islands gave into his instincts and caressed the teen's skin, memorizing where each scar was and what they all meant. He smiled when his counterpart gasped as his fingertips brushed against his sensitive skin._

_ Though he had been trained to pleasure his master, Roxas had never been on the receiving end of said ministrations. In this pleasure-induced fog, he could just make out the random thought that he could've been more of a virgin than his distantly related lover._

_ As he suspected, Sora managed to bring him to a climax much quickly than he did and the brunet didn't even have to do much more than Roxas did. The king chuckled with amusement at the sticky substance that covered his hands, laughing right out loud when he saw the petulant look upon the blonde's face._

_ "My turn," he growled, slamming Sora back down on the bed playfully. He quickly silenced Sora's protests as the teen moaned. The brunet gasped as pleasure made his entire body feel like jelly. It wasn't long before the pleasure peaked and the tension within his body was all released into Roxas's welcoming orifice._

_ They didn't simply stop there. They _couldn't_ simply stop there. Not when it was their last night._

_ And that night, they gave their body and soul to one another, consummating their marriage, ordained by their own power. They were their own witnesses and that was the only thing they needed._

_ Tradition be damned._

* * *

Roxas stood still upon the stone sea wall staring out into the sea of gray clouds. Stretched out a few meters in front of him was the wooden pier where the ship that bore his friends and family away once berthed, creating a strange wooden island hovering above the sea of this world in the sky.

He breathed deeply and regularly, his heart racing within his ribcage. He swallowed thickly with trepidation of what he was about to do making his limbs felt like lead. His right hand was clenched tightly in a fist, holding the keychain of a Keyblade that had been created in Kingdom Hearts, by none other than Ventus the Youngest. His left hand, clenched in a similar fashion, held a blue crystal shard. Roxas had no idea where it came from, only that Ventus told him its significance.

"_Don't look back_," Ventus's voice rang in his ear. The teen nodded hesitantly, taking in another deep breath to calm himself.

He stepped onto the wooden pier, the planks creaking underneath his feet. Stopping at the end of the pier, he looked down at the gray clouds, unable to see his own reflection upon the surface of the "sea" or the bleak world that lied underneath the clouds.

"_It'll be fine,_" Ventus told him reassuringly. "_Don't worry_."

All the while, Roxas was silent. There was a part of him that was frightened by the uncertainties surrounding this plan of theirs, the hundreds of "What if"s throwing doubt upon the probability of success. It was that part of him that didn't wish to leave Marlene and Stella and the wonderful people of Kingdom Hearts.

Yet at the same time, there was a part of him that didn't want to leave Sora alone, the part of him that would do everything for Sora. Even though he had given the brunet one last good memory prior to their separation, the blonde still felt the need to go to him.

"Roxas!" Eleanor's familiar voice echoed towards him.

"_You love Sora, don't you?_" Ventus asked in his ear. Roxas was slightly taken aback by the sudden question, a look of confusion clear within his ice blue eyes. Though he hadn't understood why Ventus asked him the question as Eleanor's call to him hadn't registered in his mind, he nodded in response.

"_Then jump_."

"No, Ven!" Stella shouted out to him. "Not that way!"

"Roxas!" screamed Marlene. Her voice stopped Roxas in his tracks and Ventus's words faded from his mind completely. He almost turned around when he felt a hard push on his back. He gasped at the unexpected force, eyes widening as he fell from where he stood upon the pier. Twisting around, the blonde found the face of Ventus the Youngest smiling down at him, his features very much solid to the boy's vision. The eye contact was brief before the gray clouds closed in around him, bringing the teen out of his shock.

Reminded of his dangerous free fall from the world in the sky, Roxas gritted his teeth and turned back to face the ground just as he passed through the cloud layers. With wisps of clouds still clinging to him, he squinted his eyes and tightened his right hand even more, loosening his fingers as Lost Memory Keyblade appeared in his hand with a flash of light.

Light gathered around the Keyblade at his side and when he felt it was time, he yelled out, throwing the blue crystal shard in his left hand down in front of him. Shortly afterwards, he threw the glowing weapon towards the shard like a boomerang, the force of his throw causing him to turn about with his feet closer to the ground. A sharp shattering sounded loudly in the air, echoing across the entire sky. With the Keyblade back in his hand, Roxas watched with amazement as a white portal expanded in the air a ways underneath him.

Though the bright glow of the edges of the circular portal nearly blinded the teen, he could see the faint outlines of a familiar place, dark patches covering the stonework but not in any danger of collapsing. He held his breath as he passed through the portal, a worrisome question suddenly registering in his mind.

How was he going to survive this fall once he passed into the other world?

* * *

_Night had fallen upon Kingdom Hearts once again after a long day. Clear eyes slowly opened in the darkness of the room. The sparse light from the bright stars within the room did little to illuminate the bedroom, but the owner of the pair of sharp eyes knew where everything was. As he turned to look out the window, his eyes seemed to have the ability to gather the meager light and reflect them back tenfold, revealing a set of icy blue irises surrounding dilated pupils._

_ Silently, the man introspected, his eyes unfocused as he made sure the other soul is in a deep sleep. Once he was sure, he got out of the bed with a small smile, leaving the warmth of the bedroom without another word._

_ Within the open courtyard, a small fire burned to illuminate the area. The man knew that his appearance was not that of his own, but rather the boy who was unfortunate to be his exact replica, who now is chained to Kingdom Hearts because his body housed _his_ soul. Yet, he cared not that he was a resident in another body, he will soon rectify this problem._

_ Though he was never in control while Roxas was awake, Ventus knew everything that happened. He knew where the spare keys to the front door was, the layout of the house, of the city. And most importantly, he knew exactly where he will go once the boy had gone to sleep._

_ Pocketing one of the spare keys that was contained within a drawer in the dining room, Ventus quickly made his way through the estate and exited through the front doors, uncaring that the lamp above the door flared to life when he stepped through._

_ The streets were empty save for a few insomniacs who gazed at the stars that never ceased to amaze the denizens of Kingdom Hearts despite the fact that the starry sky never changed from night to night. None paid much attention to him, only smiling in brief acknowledgement before returning to their thoughts._

_ The blonde made his way through the great plaza in front of the great temple of Kingdom Hearts and passed through the quiet marketplace nearby. All the stalls were empty and would remain empty until dawn. Soon, he entered into the Craftsman borough where the smell of smoke permeated the air. Sporadic tinks of metalworking reached his ear from the right hand side where he stood upon entering the district._

_ He smirked with amusement at the fact that the man who owned the blacksmith he was heading towards was still working during the late night when all other smithies were closed. Perhaps he hadn't trust his former comrade in arms enough to take care of his beloved forge and anvil. Whatever the reason, Ventus welcomed the company. He was going to be spending the several nights in the upcoming week working on his project after all._

_ The cast iron front door remained open in front of the small smithy; a heavy wooden sign with the crest that indicated the identity of the blacksmith hung over the open door, the rusted links that kept the sign hung squeaking ever so slightly with the soft breeze._

_ Ventus the Youngest peered in from the doorway, feeling the heat of the burning forge as it swept out in a wave of hot air. His former friend and comrade was working on a shield, bringing his hammer down in long strokes to shape the metal protector._

_ Named Vulcan, the blacksmith easily towered over Ventus the Youngest by half a body's length. One of the last half-giants of Northern Crater, the man's skills were unparalleled. As a Chaser, he made Keyblades that never seemed to be artificial, so beautiful were they that they were often used as ceremonial weapons for the monarchs instead of being used for actual battle. His long, shaggy orange hair was tied up in a loose ponytail and his tanned face was red from exertion and the heat of the forge._

_ Ventus rapped on the metal door with his knuckles when the man was prepared to plunge the shield back into the forge. The owner of the smithy turned to look at his visitor with his large green eyes and smiled widely at the sight of his friend._

_ "Didn't think you'd actually show up," laughed Vulcan sonorously, letting the shield get heated up within the roaring fire in the forge._

_ The much shorter man snorted. "And miss your company? I think not."_

_ "It's been awhile since we met, huh," Ventus commented. It was not a question._

_ He walked further into the smithy, looking around at the various works that the former Chaser hung on the walls around them. "How's Adeline?"_

_ "She's well," Vulcan replied, pulling the heated shield out of the forge to hammer it some more._

_ "And the others?" The first king of Destiny Islands looked at him expectantly, his sharp blue eyes scrutinizing the man's expressions and motions._

_ The gigantic man shrugged nonchalantly. "As well as we can all be in Kingdom Hearts."_

_ "I'm sorry, Vulcan," frowned the blond. "If we had done more…"_

_ "There will be casualties in war," the orange-haired man replied abruptly, cutting off the younger man before they dredged up the memories of his death. "We did what we could to give you guys enough time. We didn't die in vain, man."_

_ The shorter man chose not to say anything else, instead opening his mouth to ask the half-giant: "Did you get what I asked for?"_

_ "Yeah." He gestured with his head towards his right before bringing down the hammer in his hand on the red-hot shield. Sparks erupted from where the hammer struck the heated metal, but the seasoned blacksmith was unaffected by the singing tiny fires._

_ Ventus made his way over to the unoccupied workstation where two chunks of metal sat upon the wooden table: one gleaming white silver, the other shimmering blue silver. Next to the two blocks of metal was a clothbound parcel. The usual tools of hammer, tongs, and chisel were in their individual holes cut into the worn table. A heavy anvil sat between the forge and the table, with enough space for Ventus to turn between the three stations._

_ Vulcan watched as his former commander untied the knot on the cloth package, peeling the brown cloth apart to reveal a bright blue crystal that reflected back not the orange fire from the forge, but a brilliant white light that conveyed a feeling of hope within Ventus's hands. The blonde knew, as did the blacksmith, that the crystal only reacted this way for those of strong hearts._

_ "Do you know what you're doing, V?" the orange-haired giant asked, eying the still shining crystal within the blonde's hands with a sense of wariness. After all, the last time anyone had come in contact with such a resonating object, the entire world shook and it summoned Chernabog into their world._

_ Ventus stared at the glowing crystal silently for a moment before nodding. "Of course," he said, but Vulcan didn't believe him completely._

_ "It'll be okay, Vulcan," the first king of Destiny Islands said, as though the blonde knew exactly what his former comrade thought. "Failure is not an option here. I'm sure of that."_

_ "Are you really, now…" the man commented skeptically. The blonde set the crystal down and turned to look at the blacksmith with his sharp blue eyes._

_ "Do you trust me?" he asked, "Do you trust your former commander?"_

_ "Of course," Vulcan nodded, though he was surprised by the sudden question. "Why do you ask?"_

_ "I will need your help when the time comes." The half-giant frowned at the wry smile upon the slighter man's face, but said nothing else, returning to his task with the shield._

_ Ventus grabbed the block of Mythril with the cast iron tongs and held the metal over the heated forge to soften it. The two men worked on without another exchange of words._

* * *

Everyone knew who stood at the end of the wooden pier where the vessel that bore the Keyblade wielders back to their world once berthed, and they were no less shocked by the sight. Even Marlene knew that the man was not the boy that had become her brother. First, Ventus the Youngest was taller than Roxas; second, his hair, though yellow like Roxas's own, was much lighter, almost appearing white instead of yellow.

Lastly, the moment Ventus turned around dispelled all possibilities that the man could have been the living incarnation of the youngest of the Original Three. The piercing blue eyes shimmered with emotions, not clear and cold like that of Roxas's own. Healed scars from the battles he's been in were barely visible with the light yellow hair that framed the chiseled face.

The blond-haired man didn't even acknowledge the group of people who stood unmoving, staring at him with disbelief. He said nothing as he swept past them swiftly, his mind racing through the plan that he had set in motion.

"Ventus!" Lady Ashe's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"It's been a while, Ashelia," Ventus's replied. The voice that Marlene heard was the exact same as Roxas's own tenor tones but had an edge that was absent from her adoptive brother's voice.

"What are you doing, Ven?" Rasler asked, his eyes following the ancient man closely.

"Why did you send Roxas away?" exclaimed Marlene, making a move to run over to the man who looked so much like the yellow-haired teen. Eleanor quickly reached out to keep her from reaching Ventus and doing something rash, kneeling down to comfort her distraught daughter.

"Is it so wrong to reunite Roxas and Sora?" the first king of Destiny Islands frowned. The answer seemed so wrong, yet no one had any reason to disagree. After all, there had been a lot of hardships for the two since they met.

"Hmm, I wonder," Master Yen Sid mused aloud as he casually strolled towards them, as though the elderly man had not rushed from his study to stop the misguided teen from carrying out Ventus's plan. "Could it be that you sent Roxas back to make sure that the prophecy will be complete?"

Ventus pressed his lips together, choosing not to answer the man whom he and his siblings had made the ruler of Kingdom Hearts all those centuries ago. Ironically, his silence was all Yen Sid needed to confirm his suspicions.

"What do you mean?" Stella asked with a frown. "Is Sora not the one to fulfill the prophecy with Kairi and Riku?"

"Sora carries within him a curse," Yen Sid answered. "You knew that he wouldn't have been able to carry out the prophecy, didn't you."

"You mean, Sora will die?" the silver-haired woman gasped, her eyes widened with shock. Rasler and Ashe only looked on silently; they knew of the curse of the Nameless Key, but neither one was willing to accept the fact that someone from Ventus's bloodline will have to die to save their world.

"Yes," Ventus answered. The tone in the man's voice was so nonchalant that it infuriated even the mild-mannered mother who was trying to calm her own daughter.

"How could you say that?" Eleanor blurted angrily. "How could you let Roxas go, knowing perfectly well that they would be separated again? Are you that heartless?"

"Would you prefer the world go to ruins for the sake of two lovers?" he answered coolly, though his eyes belied the pain in his decision.

"B-but," Stella stuttered, her grey eyes brimmed with tears, "what about Aqua and Terra? Don't they have just as large a part in this prophecy as the others?"

Yen Sid sighed before he responded to her question. "Though Terra and Aqua are part of this, they lack the experience to do what is needed."

"And what exactly _is_ needed?" asked Eleanor with narrowed eyes.

"Battle against the Heartless at their strongest," answered Ventus tersely. "The Heartless will guard the doorway between the two worlds fiercely. Xehanort will not allow them to reach the doorway to close it permanently. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have preparations to complete."

As he walked away, he said aloud to the speechless group, "I will need all your help when the time comes. We must finish this once and for all."

No one, not even Yen Sid, understood what Ventus meant by that.

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: Argh, entirely way too short for such a long hiatus! But unfortunately, I have to end it there since this one's supposed to be more or less of a reminiscing chapter that I chose not to include in the previous chapter when they were at Kingdom Hearts._

_The only two references that were in this chapter were the chapter title, which is a song title from Final Fantasy X, and the name of the Keyblade _"Lost Memory_", which is one of the Keyblade that only Ventus can equip in Birth By Sleep._

_I've made it my goal to finish this fanfic as soon as possible. I've already finished the next chapter and working out fleshing out the last chapter, maybe making it two depending on how long it ends up. But I_ will_ finish this fanfic before the third year anniversary!_

_Thanks for waiting so patiently between each update; and hope you all enjoyed this rather brief chapter._


	23. Of Glittering Tears

_To reviewers of chapter 21:_

_DarkBombayAngel: Well, I can't promise anything, but the end will be a happy one, at least from my point of view, haha._

_LupinandHarry: Thanks. I like that scene myself too. This chapter will be slightly longer, though not by much, sorry!_

_Azuresapphire15: I can think of a really morbid way to get around the legend—as in, Sora doesn't die, but I won't share it with you, heh heh heh. Let's just say it would involve Sora's kid (if he has one), XP. Sorry, I think the cold medicine's getting to me._

* * *

**Chapter 22 – Of Glittering Tears**

* * *

The stinging pain of overexertion burned in his lungs and in his legs. His cheeks were flushed pink from the biting chill. His breaths fogged up thickly with each exhale. Unused to such exhaustion, Roxas stopped to catch his breath, hunched over to pant heavily. He grimaced with each cold air entering into his airways, coughing when one particular breath chilled the inside of his throat. He looked up at the winding path that continued further into the mountains, disappearing behind the flurry of snow.

Swallowing thickly, Roxas took a deep breath with more caution than usual before exhaling audibly to continue his run up the treacherous slope, slick from the falling snow that melted under his footsteps.

'Wait for me, Sora,' he thought, determined to reach the ancient forge that was under attack.

As he made his way deeper into the mountains of Nibelheim, the shrill whistling of harsh winds drowned out the distance booms of cannon fire, the crunch of snow underneath his feet with every step that he took. The blizzard had intensified the higher up he went, as though some unknown force was working with the Heartless to stop him from reaching the ancient forge.

Still, Roxas continued on, stopping only when he reached the zenith of the winding path. There, he panted heavily, looking downward to see a blanket of white across the peaks of the mountain range. The entire place was so covered with snow that it was difficult for the blonde to see the mountain path that he was supposed to follow to reach the forge.

As though sensing the determination of the ex-Nobody, the weather lessened before stopping all together shortly after the teen began his downward trek into the protected valley where the ancient forge was located. Unfortunately, the cessation of snowfall meant that the air was absolutely frigid, leaving Roxas chilled to the bone.

His teeth chattered violently the further he went, the lack of warm clothes allowed the cold to surround him. The chill bogged down his progress, making his mind feel sluggish. Even his vision wavered the longer he pushed himself.

'I can't stop,' he reminded himself. The Lost Memory Keyblade responded to his determination with a warming glow, encouraging the former Nobody to continue on.

A sudden shake of the earth shifted the snow underneath him and the boy lost his balance on the slick ground, nearly stumbling off the path to slide down a steep slope down towards the rapid river that ran through the mountains. He breathed a sigh of relief as the Keyblade in his hand kept him from a dangerous fall. He quickly got back onto the path and resumed his journey following the path.

One final turn and the snow covered fort where the ancient forge was located appeared in front of him. Smoke rose from the various parts of the fort, but it appeared that fighting had concluded for the day. The defenders were slowly returning behind the walls through the heavy metal doors. Remnants of vanquished Heartless and corpses of the dead were strewn over the dirty snow. The grisly sight would make a lesser man queasy, but Roxas ignored the sight of death to begin a cautious run towards the fort, hoping that the lookouts would not mistake him for some enemy.

* * *

"Ow," hissed Terra as Coral tended to a bleeding wound on his lower back.

"Oh, you big baby," teased Aqua, wincing but not whining like her brother was when Naminé covered the scratches a Heartless made on her side.

"Can you guys keep it down over there?" moaned Sirocco as Arashi wrapped up a head wound in gauze. "You're giving me a headache here."

Coral rolled her eyes at Sirocco's tendency to exaggerate his own injuries while Arashi was nonplussed by it, simply finishing the dressing as simply as she could. Her eyes suggested that she wasn't really paying attention to her task, her heart worrying over her granddaughter even though she had been unharmed. She feared that Tifa would take the losses too personally like her daughter had. It was the despair that eventually claimed her daughter's life, when she left Nibelheim in search of answers, ultimately turning into a Heartless before long. The Chaser saw a hint of the same quality in Tifa's chosen mate, but there was a confidence within the young man that assuaged Arashi's fears.

"You okay there, Ara?" Mickey asked. The woman jumped slightly at the mouse lord's sudden appearance next to her, forgetting that she had long since finished dressing Sirocco's wounds. The said man had already left the private infirmary for the royal families and the Chasers at the ancient forge, most likely headed towards the kitchen for some grub to eat.

Arashi set the bandages in her hands down and tried to smile reassuringly at Mickey, but one look from the leader was enough to stop her from doing so. She should've known better than to hide her concerns from the ever perceptive Mickey.

"Worried about Tifa?" supplied the mouse, hopping onto the unoccupied bed. Arashi nodded quietly.

"I'm afraid that she might follow the same path that her mother took during that last war," she softly voiced her fear.

Mickey hummed in understanding. "She's stronger than you give her credit for," he commented. "I'm sure she knows what happened to her mother. Besides, it hadn't been long since she lost her father. She'll be alright."

"I don't know…"

"Go talk to her," smiled Mickey. "You'll see."

This time, Arashi gave Mickey a grateful smile. Though her worries were diminished only slightly, she had no doubt that her conversation with Tifa, however inopportune it may be, will cast away the rest of her fears and worries.

Thus, with that, the black-haired Chaser left the infirmary.

"There, all done," grinned Coral, slapping Terra on his butt in a teasing manner.

"Ow!" whined the red-haired man when the slap aggravated his wound. "You guys are vicious, man!"

Both Aqua and Coral giggled while Kairi shook her head at them. "At least we're not trying to dress you up like a girl," she pointed out.

Terra gave Kairi a horrified look, shuddering at the memory of when Aqua and Stella had essentially blackmailed him into wearing his mother's make up after they caught him sneaking out late one night.

"Don't, even, remind me," he scowled. His demeanor was all that Aqua needed to also remember that wonderful day and she burst out laughing, stopping only when the wound on her side made it too painful to keep laughing.

Naminé clucked her tongue in a mother-hen fashion. "What did I say?" she chastised.

"I know, I know," chuckled Aqua. "No laughing like hyenas." She raised her hands in surrender. "Look at me, being scolded by a girl younger than me."

"She wouldn't have to scold you if you weren't acting younger than her," grinned Kairi.

"Girls," Terra commented, rolling his eyes.

"What'd you say?" Kairi and Aqua asked simultaneously, the mischievous glint in their eyes made the older man gulp.

"Nothing, nothing," he said quickly, afraid of their devious ways.

"Good," the princess of Radiant Garden said with an approving nod.

"Well," Coral began, washing her hands in a water basin, "I'm going to go check on Sora and Riku. You guys stay here and get some rest."

Kairi wrinkled her nose. "And keep smelling this semi-sterile smell during the night? No, thanks, I'm going back to the sleeping quarters."

"Just get some rest," the Chaser said exasperatedly. She stopped at the entryway, finding Pan standing there.

"Don't get close to them," he warned grimly.

"Why? It's not like they won't have their shares of losses before the end," she answered tartly, exhaustion from the day's battle finally catching up to her.

"Now, you're being callous," Pan returned with a frown. Coral simply waved him off flippantly, continuing on her way to find the other two descendants the Three.

"You can't fault her for wanting to get close to the others," Mickey commented, joining Pan at the entryway to watch Coral before she disappeared behind a corner. "She's the youngest Chaser and never really had a chance to live her life before the war came."

"That gives her no excuse-" began Pan, stopping when Mickey raised a hand to interrupt him.

"Give her time," the mouselord placated. "Let her enjoy the rest of her life as a teenager and not as an ancient one."

"I still don't approve of it," frowned the lanky Chaser, running his thin fingers through his messy red hair. Mickey laughed.

"And you don't have to. Our time is coming to an end."

"The final chapter is about to begin, huh?" Pan asked. Mickey simply looked out the window at the grey clouds that spread across the sky.

* * *

The green-haired Chaser stomped through the fort, irritated by Pan's reminder that the end of her time on this world was drawing near. He didn't understand how she felt, that despite her initial warm but distant façade with Sora and Roxas, she longed for contact with others her age.

She found Sora and Riku standing over a round table with the leaders of the Nibelheim-Macalania army. Only Aerith was absent amongst the leaders, undoubtedly doing her part in overseeing the healing of the wounded. Messengers entered and exited bearing reports from the repairs of the fortress, the number of wounded and dead, the status of rations, and much more. The flurry of activity within the grand hall was enough to make her head spin. How were they able to keep up with the continuous flow of information?

Cloud nodded with the latest report on the repair progress, turning back to listen to Zack proposing a possible evacuation of civilians through the caverns to Macalania.

"Have the scouts returned?" asked Tifa. Though she knew of the underground path from the forge to Macalania, it hadn't been used in centuries. She feared that some creatures might have taken up residence within; or worse, Xehanort had found the entrance on the other side and was making his way towards the backside of the forge.

"They should be returning tomorrow," reported a lieutenant.

"Why not the airship?" frowned Cid, scratching the stubbles of his unshaven chin in a restless gesture. "We could fly 'em out."

"There will be flying Heartless patrolling the skies," Coral answered, joining them at the table. "Even though we don't see them, they'll show up if we try to leave by air."

"Or enter by air," Riku pointed out.

"So we're on our own, basically," Tifa commented. Coral nodded grimly.

"Well, we're making good progress right now," Zack said, though not with much enthusiasm. "We should get some rest."

Cloud straightened up and winced as he tried his left leg, earning himself a frown from his black-haired queen.

"You're going to go see Aerith, right now," she commanded bluntly.

"I'm fine, Tifa," the blonde replied, closing his mouth immediately when he saw the disapproving frown upon Tifa's face, annoyance practically oozing out of her very being.

"Okay, okay," he relinquished, letting Tifa assist him as they made their way towards the infirmary. Zack only shook his head in amusement before following the pair to see to his own beloved.

"I don't git it," muttered Cid. "Why aren't the flying Heartless attackin' us right now? Surely Xehanort wants us gone."

"He wants the forge, most of all. He's not going to risk destroying it with aerial assault," answered Coral as she looked around for a specific Chaser. "Where's Arashi?"

"She never came here," frowned Sora, yawning and rubbing his eyes with the ball of his palms. He blinked deliberately to clear his vision, only to have it blur slightly due to his exhaustion.

"Have you been sleeping?" Coral asked in concern, her eyes focused upon the pallid face and the dark bags underneath the teen's eyes.

"Here and there," Sora answered evasively. The immortal Chaser sighed with mild annoyance.

"You should try and get more sleep," she chastised. "You'd be putting yourself and others in danger if you're not aware of your surroundings because of lack of rest."

"I know," replied Sora with a similar sigh. "My mind's just too restless."

"We should go see Aerith then. She'll certainly provide you with a sleeping tonic," suggested Riku. The brunet nodded in agreement.

"Milord! Your Majesty!" came the shout of an armored soldier. The fact that the man had on his helmet meant that he had been patrolling the outer walls before running all the way to them.

"What's all the fucking ruckus?" grumbled Cid, a lit cigarette dangling from his lips.

"Milord. Milady. Your Highnesses," saluted the man, slightly winded from the run. "Someone approaches."

They all raised their eyebrows in question, waiting for the soldier to continue on. "The person carries a Keyblade."

"What?" blurted Riku. "A Chaser?" He looked over to the grey-eyed girl expectantly, surprised by her head shaking.

"If it was a Chaser, they'd just teleport to us," she answered, her eyes beginning to widen as the impossible dawned upon her.

"It can't be," whispered Sora, coming to the same realization as the Chaser.

"You don't mean…" Riku continued, snapping out of the shock when Sora rushed out of the room. "Wait, Sora!"

"Go inform Princess Kairi and the rest of the Chasers of the Keyblade wielder," commanded Coral. The unnamed soldier saluted her with a "Yes, milady!" and retreated out of the room.

"Yen Sid that it was impossible for Roxas to return because he's bound to Ventus," the prince of Twilight Town began.

"Nothing is ever impossible," said Coral, making her way out of the room to chase after Sora. "Nothing."

Sora's breath fogged up in front of him as he ran into the open inner ward, passing through the open set of inner gates to reach the outer ward.

"Open the gates!" he shouted, stalking over to the fortified wooden gates in front of him. A repeat of his command was shouted and the giant doors that was once barred slowly creaked open. Once there was enough room, Sora quickly slipped through the crack and resumed his run, his eyes finding the familiar teen just reaching the end of the downward path.

The smile that beamed on Roxas's face was truly brilliant. Tears of joy sprang to Sora's eyes and he let out a burst of laughter. The two teens ran towards each other with Roxas catching Sora as he leaped forward to latch onto the younger teen, who felt very much solid. The blonde returned the embrace, squeezing his arms slightly around Sora's body to reassure the brunet that it was not a dream.

Sora didn't need much reassurance the moment they kissed. His heart soared and he melted into Roxas's arms happily. Neither one of them paid any attention to the fact that they had an audience until someone shouted at them.

"Watch out!"

The two teens immediately broke apart and brought their weapons up against the Heartless that had appeared out of nowhere to attack them. Within seconds, the pair destroyed the Heartless in synchrony, stirring up a flurry of snow from the ground. As the snow settled, the strangely picturesque scene made them all realize just how in sync the pair was. In fact, they both straightened up at the same time, mirroring each other's movement unconsciously.

"Get inside!" came Cloud's command. The two teens searched briefly before finding the said man standing on top of a battlement gesturing for them to come back. They nodded and ran back, passing through the small opening before the heavy gate was drawn closed once again. The moment the gate was shut, a whooshing sound echoed across the place as Roxas found a shimmering barrier form around the fort much like the one they erected at Baren Falls, but the tingling in his bones felt different than before. It felt, somewhat, weaker than the barrier at Baren Falls.

"Come on!" Sora laughed, the brief seriousness all but dissipated from his face. He quickly grabbed Roxas's free right hand and pulled him along further into the forge. Neither one paid much attention to the entourage of family and friends that followed them.

"A-hem," Kairi cleared her throat exaggeratedly to get the pair's attention after they had entered the large sleeping commons.

Sora and Roxas abruptly turned around to discover the small group that had followed them. Their faces colored simultaneously in embarrassment but neither male made any move to part with their fingers intertwined. It wasn't until Aqua made a leap to bear hug her little brother did Sora let go of Roxas's hand.

"My baby brother," she cried happily, "I can't believe it."

Terra stared at the presence of his brother, noticing a slight difference in the teen compared to before they left Kingdom Hearts.

"How did you come back?" Aqua asked quickly, scanning over her brother to see if there was something wrong with him. She wiped away the tears on her cheeks and laughed with the sniffles of crying.

"Ventus the Youngest," Roxas began, not completely knowledgeable of the magicks that his predecessor had used to send him back. "He sent me back from Kingdom Hearts…"

Sora's eyes widened with surprise. "How is that possible?" he asked. "Yen Sid said specifically that he was a part of you."

Roxas shook his head. "Not anymore."

"What?" the brown-haired king of Destiny Islands blurted; even the Chasers were surprised by his answer.

"What do you mean?" Coral asked.

"When I fell from Kingdom Hearts, I caught a glimpse of him on the dock. He looked alive, like he was physically standing on that dock."

Sora crossed his arms in thought. "If you fell from Kingdom Hearts, wouldn't you end up in the Heartless realm? Even if you survived the fall?"

"He gave me a crystal fragment," explained the blonde, "Told me to use the Keyblade to break it after I passed the cloud cover."

"Did he forge that Keyblade?" asked Mickey. Roxas raised the weapon and nodded.

"He called it 'Lost Memory'."

Sora inspected the Keyblade with expert eyes, noticing the artistic smooth form of a Keyblade like his Ultima Weapon. The blade itself was ivory, the teeth symbolized with a broken red heart and one outstretched wing. The black, leafed handguard was almost a replica of the handguard upon the Oathkeeper, save for the wing that extended from one side—it proved to him that the Keyblade was indeed a piece of work by Ventus the Youngest. It was a beautiful piece of art to be sure.

"I see," the mouse Chaser said simply, keeping mum on whatever he was thinking.

"You look different, Ven," Terra pointed out.

Roxas snorted. "I feel different."

"Probably because Ventus the Youngest isn't inside you anymore," Ceres pointed out. Sora looked over at the silver-haired woman, almost forgetting that the soft-spoken Chaser was there. Of all the Chasers who were still alive, the diminutive woman with her hair tied up in a high ponytail was the most enigmatic.

"What now then?" Cloud asked, cutting short the heartfelt reunion to bring them back to reality.

"Nothing will change as long as Xehanort's after the forge," Arashi answered.

"But surely he'll know that Roxas is back too," frowned Pan.

"Pan's right," Mickey said. "However, he doesn't know if Ventus the Youngest is still part of Roxas. He's getting desperate. We'll need to be prepared for the next battle. Xehanort will do everything he can to reach the forge next time."

"What do you think he will do when he reaches the forge?" Kairi asked with concern.

"Whatever his plan is, it won't be good," Riku commented. Only silent nods answered him.

"Get some rest. We'll have plenty of time to relax once the forge is safe." With that, Mickey Mouse left the room, a look of concern etched upon his face. The other Chasers, save for Coral and Arashi, and the two leaders of Nibelheim all followed him out.

Terra gingerly lied face down on his cot, groaning with a wince when the wound on his back was aggravated during his excitement.

"What's the matter with you?" Roxas asked, concerned by his brother's wellbeing.

"Back. Hurts," the older man uttered Neanderthal-like before groaning once again. Aqua could only shake her head at his short answers.

"He got injured on his back a few hours ago," she explained. "It's nothing bad though. He's just a baby."

"Am not," grumbled Terra. The corners of Roxas's lips twitched as he tried not to smile despite the fact that his brother wouldn't have been able to see him anyways.

"Roxas, can I see Ventus's Keyblade?" Arashi asked. The former Nobody nodded and handed the Keyblade to the Chaser.

"Orichalcum, Mythril," murmured the black-haired Chaser, turning the Keyblade about in her hands. "Coral, there's something else in this Keyblade that I don't recognize."

The green-haired Chaser looked at her colleague with her head cocked to one side in bewilderment. "It's a type of crystal that we don't usually use."

"Hmm." Coral took the Keyblade from Arashi and inspected the Keyblade. The varicolored glint that reflected from the Keyblade was uncommon and one that she had never thought about until she remembered that one time when Aqua the Middle had shown her the item that Xehanort had used.

"It's Magicite," she concluded, her eyes wide with shock.

"Magicite?" asked Riku.

"It's a material found only in the Heartless realm," she explained. "Xehanort used it to summon the Heartless into our world."

"If it's a material found only in the Heartless realm," groaned Terra with a frown, turning his face to look at them. "How was Xehanort able to get a hold of it?"

"I don't know," the Chaser replied, handing the Keyblade back to Roxas. "I don't know what this means either. Did Ventus know something about the Nameless Key that we didn't?"

'Besides the fact that we have to destroy it to save our world?' Sora thought grimly. His heart palpitated rapidly with the fear of dying, with Roxas back by his side. Yet, part of him deep within had already embraced the fact that he will have to die. But did he really have to? Ventus was able to separate himself from Roxas; couldn't he somehow separate himself from the Nameless Key and expel it from his being?

"Sora?" Roxas questioned worriedly, concerned at the brunet's unusual silence. "Something on your mind?"

"Just wondering what Ventus the Youngest might've known," Sora answered, which hadn't been far from the truth.

"You know, I've always wondered what would've happened if Xehanort hadn't found the Magicite," mused Coral aloud. "Did he go look for it or did the Magicite find him?"

"You mean that Xehanort might be under the control of Magicite?" asked Kairi. Arashi shook her head.

"It wouldn't have mattered," Tifa's grandmother answered. "That man was so consumed by his search to gain the power that the Three had. He had already lost his ways when that happened."

"So did he succeed?" asked Riku. "Has he completed his goal?"

"I don't think so entirely," commented Arashi. "I think he wants to use the forge to make another Keyblade and see if he had truly obtained that power."

"Such a tragic man," murmured Aqua. "To live for nothing but power."

"He isn't really alive either, Aqua," smiled Arashi. "He's been corrupted by the Darkness for so long that I doubt he even has a Heart."

"Is there a way to stop him?" asked Kairi.

"Yeah, beat him and lock the door to the Heartless realm," Sora said simply. "Simple, right?" he smirked.

"Ha, ha, Sora," the princess rolled her eyes at the grinning brunet.

"Well, it's true," he replied.

Coral smiled at the brief levity Sora's simple plan provided them. "It's how we go about destroying the connection between this world and that of the Heartless that's complicated," she commented. "Otherwise, it is as Sora says."

"Well, whatever the future holds for us," Riku started, plopping down on his cot with his fingers weaved underneath his head. "We should rest before Xehanort sends another wave of Heartless at us."

Arashi and Coral both nodded in agreement. "Try not to get too close to each other tonight, Sora, Roxas," Coral said with a knowing smile on her face. Sora sputtered indignantly with his face flushed as red as Roxas's own.

"Yeah," added Kairi, sitting down on her own bed. "You don't have your own room, you know. Both she and Coral broke into giggles as Sora was at a loss for words while Roxas's face remained as red as a tomato.

"See what I mean?" grumbled Terra. Riku nodded in agreement.

"Now I understand what you mean," the silver-haired teen said.

"Hey!" pouted Kairi, punching him playfully in the shoulder.

"Ow." He rubbed at the tender spot. "That hurts."

The red-haired princess simply stuck her tongue out at him.

They shared another round of laughter before they all turned in for the night.

* * *

The moon was on her way towards the setting horizon when Roxas's eyes snapped open. His eyes adjusted rapidly to the dimness of the room and he quietly got out of his bed, silently moving across the cold floor and out into the empty corridor lit with dying torches.

His ears perked at the distant sounds of metallic footfalls as soldiers patrolled the fort, ready at a moment's notice to blow their horns and waken the rest of the army.

He closed his eyes at the first intersection, his mouth moving rapidly as he recalled the directions he was given. Opening his eyes, he took the right corridor and continued on his way, going down staircases and making more turns within the fort that housed the ancient forge.

Soon, he stopped in front of the tall white metal doors that separated the mystical forge from the rest of the fort. A large keyhole rested in the middle of the doors. Had Ventus not told him that the barrier in front of him was two doors, Roxas would've thought that it was only one door with the invisible seam between the two majestic-looking metal doors.

He summoned the Lost Memory Keyblade and pointed it at the giant keyhole. Light gathered at the tip of the weapon before shooting into the hole, filling it with white light. The sound of mechanisms unlocking echoed loudly through the corridor and the double doors swung open slowly with a loud creak.

He quickly brought his Keyblade up to block an attack that aimed at his neck, his eyes wide with surprise to see Tifa's grandmother in the ancient forge, looking equally surprised at his presence.

"Roxas?" she said. "What are you doing here?"

"Ventus asked me to come here after I returned," he answered. "You're protecting this place?"

Arashi nodded, dismissing her Keyblade to turn and look at the large workroom where she and her comrades had spent hours every day centuries ago. A thick layer of dust had covered all the tools, the anvils, and the large communal furnace that once held a pool of molten Mythril. The only thing that was still active was the lava that flowed through the forge through a ditch in the ground. It was the source of heat that allowed the Chasers to melt Mythril down and forge the legendary Keyblades, both for their own use and for the various kings and queens that had commissioned for them.

The lava casted a reddish light upon the entire area and the heat was a welcomed reprieve against the cold of winter.

Roxas could tell that the ancient woman was reminiscing when she stood still next to an anvil with a glassy look in her eyes. He turned his gaze, lest he was caught staring, and pulled out a shard of crystal that pulsated with light.

The pulsing light caught the older woman's attention and she turned to see what was making that light, finding the strange crystal sitting in the palm of the yellow-haired boy.

"What is that?" she asked with curiosity and a mild dose of suspicion.

"I don't know," Roxas confessed. "He only said that if Xehanort's managed to get into the forge, this thing must be thrown into the lava."

"Did he specify who?" she asked with a frown, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

Roxas shook his head silently.

Arashi breathed a sigh, understanding the meaning of the shard of crystal. "He never intended it for you to use it," she mused aloud.

"What?" Roxas blinked with confusion at the Chaser's words. "What do you mean?"

"He knew a Chaser would be here," she said with a smile. "I see now."

"What does this thing do?"

"It's a seed," Arashi explained. "A seed to create more crystals. I'll take it from here, Roxas," she smiled. The blonde was hesitant to give the seed to the black-haired woman, sensing that she wasn't telling him everything.

"Roxas, trust me," she added. "It is my job to protect this place. The others will understand."

"Tell me what exactly is it that would happen when the seed's thrown into the lava," the former Nobody demanded even as he handed over the crystal.

"It's better that you don't know, Roxas," she smiled again, placing the seed into one of the pockets within the many folds of her Chaser coat. "Don't dwell on this. We have a battle to fight tomorrow."

* * *

The battle started at the same time the scouts returned.

Now, they continued fighting on under the freezing rain. Heartless of all shapes and sizes rose up from the thick shadows, never relenting on this assault. Luckily, the rain slurry had snuffed out all fires that the Heartless had started in an attempt to divert possible reinforcements to the repairing of the still impregnable keep. As such, despite the heavy conditions, the men and women of Nibelheim and her allies continued to fight on with a renewed vigor, driven by their powerful desire to save their homeland. Their wish to protect everyone who they cared about was so strong that not even the increase of the shadowy horde could suffocate them with despair.

Bolstered by the faith of the defenders, the Keyblade wielders fought on, leading their allies on a counter to push back the Heartless.

They had left only the bare minimum number of defenders back in the forge, with Aerith overseeing the evacuation of the remaining civilians and wounded to Macalania in preparation for the possible worst case scenario. They knew they ran the risk of having Xehanort appear in the forge while the majority of the Keyblade wielders are at the frontlines, but they hoped that their aggressive tactic would keep Xehanort's attention upon them until the evacuation was complete. After all, their enemy would certainly see Roxas amongst those fighting against his army.

Sora closed his eyes as another Heartless burst into dust in front of him. He panted softly upon seeing no enemies in front of him. Taking the brief respite with a smile, he ran up the few steps to the top of the trodden path to look towards the wasteland that stretched out from the city of Nibelheim.

He couldn't believe what he saw.

A long line of regimented soldiers bearing the flags of Bevelle, Midgar, and Northern Crater marched towards the abandoned city. There must've been at least a hundred thousand strong within that invading army.

Next to him, Tifa jogged to a stop, panting lightly as she took in the same sight that her friend took in.

"What happened to Northern Crater?" Sora asked in disbelief. "Why is Sephiroth throwing his lot with Xehanort?"

"We have to retreat," Tifa said grimly; she had no answers regarding Northern Crater's allegiance. "The forge is lost."

"But," Sora started, stopping short when the black-haired queen of Nibelheim shook her head.

"I know that keeping Xehanort from the forge is of utmost importance, but I have my own people to worry about, Sora. I will not have them to fight for us at such a disadvantage, not when death is the only end." She looked at him with pleading eyes, to apologize silently to him for her reasons to withdraw her support. Sora understood, having been crowned king only over a month prior; he understood her duties to her country, to her own people. It was this sense of duty that they all had. Perhaps that is why Northern Crater's marching with the enemy. Perhaps another danger threatened the citizens of Northern Crater unless Sephiroth had agreed to march against his allies.

"I understand," he said, though not with a smile. "We'll have to destroy the forge then."

"But how?" she asked with a frown.

"That is not something you need to worry about," Mickey said, joining the pair where they stood. "Arashi was right. We should've tried to destroy the forge when we first got here."

"It doesn't matter anymore," commented Tifa. As she turned to signal to Cloud to sound the retreat, her eyes widened with fear as smoke billowed from the fort.

"Someone's managed to get past us," she breathed in disbelief.

"Xehanort," scowled Sora, his eyes narrowed in anger. "He's there."

"We have no time to waste," continued the mouse-lord. "Tifa, sound the retreat. Get your men on their way to Macalania. We'll join you there."

Tifa pressed her lips together into a thin line and nodded grimly.

* * *

The eldest of the Chasers gently patted one of her many coat pockets to make sure that the crystal seed was safe and secure. She took in a deep breath, shuddering in giddiness as she exhaled. It was clear to her that within her heart, she did fear what was to come, especially knowing what her opponent was capable of.

She willed away the fear, though it left a lingering chill, and stepped into the infirmary.

The last of the wounded was being helped out by two civilians on a stretcher. The only people who remained were her granddaughter's best friend and ruler of the neighboring Macalania, her Nobody, and two other healers. The assistant healers were gathering the rest of the unused salves and tonics for their journey home while their queen took the brief chance to rest.

"You've worked hard, Aerith," the woman smiled encouragingly at the tired healer queen.

"Lady Arashi," the queen made to stand, but the Chaser motioned for her to remain seated. "I wasn't aware you were still in the fort."

"Can't have all the Chasers out there now, can we?" the black-haired woman laughed. "How are the evacuations coming along?"

"The last of the civilians should have cleared the fort by now. All that's left are the soldiers," she answered.

"Have them leave as well," Arashi said. "Abandon the fort."

"But that would leave the forge unguarded," the honey-blonde frowned.

"No," the Chaser answered. "The forge will not be left unguarded. We will destroy it once everyone's out of the way."

"I wasn't aware of this," the frown upon the heart-shaped face deepened.

"The Chasers have always had it as a last resort, simply because the forge itself cannot be destroyed by conventional means."

"But now you have the means to do so?" asked Aerith. The Chaser simply nodded and smiled.

"Very well. I shall order for the rest of the troops to leave." She stood up regally; the previous exhaustion that had weighed her down had dissipated into the cool air.

"Godspeed, my child," Arashi said, embracing the slightly taller woman tightly. She stopped herself from adding "Give Tifa my love" softly, knowing that the queen of Macalania would realize what she had planned to do.

"Light be with you, Lady Arashi," replied Aerith. She pulled away from the Chaser and motioned for her healers to follow.

The Chaser watched as the women left before letting her smile fall. A sense of dread rose within her heart.

"It's time," she said to herself. "Xehanort's here."

She quickly left the infirmary and sped through the empty corridors down to the forge where the double doors that had been locked were blown off their hinges, a large charred dent where the magical keyhole had been. She quickly summoned her own Keyblade and charged the dark-haired man that stood in the middle of the forge.

As she reached the evil man, Xehanort took an easy step away from her lunge, a sneer upon his face when he discovered who it was that had attacked him.

"Arashi," he acknowledged.

"Leave this sacred place, Xehanort," Arashi said warningly, her eyes reflecting the silent fury within her heart.

"Of all people, Arashi, I thought you would understand me the most."

"You flatter yourself," she replied coolly, disengaging her Keyblade from his. She flipped backward with an agility and grace seldom seen in women of her age, but then again, she was no ordinary woman.

His eyes followed her Keyblade, a larger version of a simple two-toothed skeleton key. But after the blade, the hilt was made to imitate a magical Keyblade with curved handguards and petal motifs along the outside edges of the handguards.

"This power to wield and create Keyblades is meant to be used, not abused as you have done. We were given this power; we didn't do anything to earn it. Don't you remember?" frowned the Chaser. "To try and gain more power over the Keyblades is folly."

"To think that we cannot achieve more power is folly," retorted Xehanort.

"You are insane, Xehanort," Arashi said coldly, bringing her Keyblade down in a slant in front of her as she prepared for battle.

"On the contrary, my dear Lady Arashi, I believe I'm a genius," sneered the dark-haired man.

"I will not allow you to defile this place for your selfish wishes."

"Try and stop me," he simply smiled, summoning his own Keyblade with a swirl of darkness.

The female Chaser wasted no time attacking the man she once called leader, lunging at his unarmed side with her blade. She was not surprised to find her attack parried before the man struck back, slashing diagonally at her chest. Bringing her Keyblade back up, she quickly blocked the attack and pushed the man away, reengaging him in a deadly sword dance.

She knew that at his current strength, there was no way she would've been able to beat him, but her resolve kept her going. And the Light didn't fail her as it remained steadfast against the darkness of Xehanort's heart and soul.

She choked back a cry when the man grew tired of their fight, summoning tendrils of darkness that cut across face, wounding her right eye. Still she fought on, dodging the sharp chain-like vines and parrying the haphazard attacks from Xehanort.

Unfortunately, it was not enough.

She gasped in pain as a tendril cut across her abdomen, causing her to tense unconsciously. Her enemy took the momentary pause to disarm her with his Keyblade and blasting her with more vines, almost crushing her against the wall behind her.

Arashi winced as she tried to get back up, coughing out redness after tasting blood within her mouth. Her breathing was labored with broken ribs and the pain from her wound was enough to cause anyone to faint. It was through sheer willpower that she was even able to kneel, her upper body hunched over to alleviate the pain. Her right arm hung limply next to her side while her left arm wrapped itself around her wounded stomach. In the back of her mind, she wondered if the Darkness would consume her. She watched silently as Xehanort picked up her Keyblade.

"You've lost," grinned the madman, his eyes sparkling with insanity. "Now, witness the power that I've achieved!"

An unnatural black wind swept through the room, blowing off all the dust that had accumulated with centuries of disuse. He tossed her Keyblade into the empty furnace and moved it into the flowing lava, melting the Chaser's Keyblade down.

Tears sprang into her good eye, her heart mourning at the destruction of her pride and work. Closing her eye tightly, she reached into her inner pocket and wrapped her fingers around the cool crystal seed.

Xehanort watched with glee as the melted metals separated within the furnace: silvery-blue Mythril and crystalline-white Orichalcum. Giddy with excitement, he never noticed the woman behind him running towards him.

Despite the pain, Arashi crashed into Xehanort, knocking him away from the furnace. Before he could gather himself, she pulled the crystal seed out of her pocket and tossed it into the furnace.

"What have you done!" exclaimed the dark-haired man in shock as the seed began rapidly forming crystals that first covered the furnace, then the lava and across the floor, over the workstations and up the walls. The crystals covered their feet and began forming upwards over them.

"I've accepted my own end, Xehanort," smiled Arashi as the crystals made their ascent up her body, numbing the pain of her body. "Have you?"

The crimson-eyed man scowled angrily at the destruction that continued around him before disappearing in a swirl of blackness; his plan to test out his newfound powers had been thoroughly thwarted by the Chaser's efforts.

'Farewell, my dear friends. See you on the other side.'

It wasn't long before the Chaser was encased within the blue crystal, a look of serenity forever etched upon her crystalline face.

The crackling of crystal formations continued on through the fort, covering the stonework, the wooden structures, everything. The last of the soldiers had managed to escape the unstoppable crystal formations before it ended at the wall, forming sharp spikes that glinted dangerously under the snowy sky. The crystals then turned skyward, covering the fort with one layer before another layer of crystals formed around the initial layer, creating a crystalline flower bud that made it almost impossible to see what it encapsulated.

When it was all over, only a beautiful crystal structure stood.

The Keyblade wielders and their allies stared in awe at the majestic formation, unable to answer the question that all but one of them had in mind. What could have caused this phenomenon to happen?

Roxas closed his eyes and swallowed thickly, finally understanding what Arashi had meant when she said he wasn't the one who will use the crystal seed. He let out a shaky breath that went unnoticed even by Naminé, who was just as speechless as her mistress at the fantastical sight in front of her.

Pushing aside the emotional turmoil within him, the knowledge of Arashi's sacrifice weighing on him, the former Nobody recomposed himself. "We have to get out of here," he said firmly.

Mickey was the first to snap out of the stunned feeling, turning to look at the blonde. "He's right," he agreed with a nod. "We have to leave now."

"But the only way was through the fort," said Tifa, frowning. "We're trapped."

"No, we're not!" Coral shouted, pointing in the distance as Sierra came into view over the crystal structure. As the airship gingerly landed, many of the combatants remained unmoving, surprised that Cid Highwind was able to get the airship out of the fort seemingly without anyone noticing.

"Oy!" Cid's gruff voice boomed from the speakers on both sides of the cockpit. "Hurry the fuck up! We have a fucking problem onboard!"

"Heartless!" exclaimed Sora before he ran towards the ramp that had lowered. Cloud shouted for the soldiers to get on and the remaining army quickly got on, fighting off the remaining Heartless that swarmed around them. With the last soldier onboard, Cid raised the ramp and took off to the skies, muttering under his breath as flying Heartless pursued them.

Ceres quickly worked with Tifa, Cloud, and Zack to organize the troops and protect the interior of the ship while the rest of their fellow Chasers followed Sora up to the top of the airship where several of Cid's mechanics were attempting to stave off the Heartless from destroying the ship.

"Get out of here!" Riku shouted as he engaged a nearby Heartless, knocking it away from the ship. The men, unused to battle, quickly nodded and left the battle to the Keyblade wielders.

Together, Rocky and Pan made their way towards the propellers, making sure that the Heartless would keep away. The flying Heartless got smarter and flew out of the reaches of their Keyblades, casting magic instead.

"Oy! Quit casting magic on my ship!" Cid's voice boomed loudly over the air.

"It's not us!" Kairi shouted back, not sure that the disgruntled man would even hear her.

Roxas quickly improvised by throwing his Keyblade at the Heartless like a boomerang, summoning the weapon back after it passed through a hapless Heartless. Naminé had taken out her throwing knives and handed several of them to her mistress, who threw them with deadly accuracy.

The Chaser named Zephyr, once the guardian of the Keyblade Guardian Soul housed in Macalania, shouted for ranged weapons while his fellow Chasers attempted to copy what Roxas was doing. However, ranged combat was never a strong suit for Chasers, so while Rocky and Pan continued to protect the propellers, blocking some of the magic with their Keyblades, Mickey and Coral helped with what they could when an errant Heartless flew overhead.

Sora and Riku were also using their Keyblades as projectiles against the Heartless with some success, but when the guns and bows were handed up, they immediately grabbed one of the weapons and began shooting at the Heartless. Only Terra and Aqua continued to toss their Keyblades as though the motion was second nature to them.

"Just shoot!" Riku shouted in between gunshots. "Even if you don't hit them, we have to hold them off!"

With that in mind, Coral and Zephyr both picked up some form of ranged weapon and shot at the Heartless.

Meanwhile, Cid continued piloting the airship through the treacherous airspace above the Nibel range. He muttered angrily under his breath, finding the space between the mountains and the clouds getting smaller and smaller. He didn't want to fly into the clouds, didn't like the feeling of flying blind even with the latest technology at his finger tips, the various instruments that supposedly made flying easier.

"Fuck it," he cussed, pulling the control stick towards him. "Hold on tight, everyone!" he shouted into the communicator.

A sudden lurch underneath them immediately caused the fighters on top of the airship to grab hold of the metal railings that ran lengthwise down the top of the ship from the ladder to the propellers. They closed their eyes and shivered as the ship ascended into the clouds. Thankfully, less than thirty seconds later, they broke through the top of the cloud layer and the winter sun shone down on them.

The Heartless that had been attacking them were nowhere to be seen.

"Good thinking, Cid!" cheered Sora.

"Don't celebrate too early just yet," Pan said grimly, his eyes narrowed upon the distance.

"Ah, shit," Cid said as a giant Heartless broke through the cloud covers and was coming towards them. The giant Windmaker was shielded by lightning and roared loudly upon seeing the airship.

"Get out of the way!" Mickey shouted upon seeing Windmaker approaching them. A row of lightning bolts rained down on the narrow walkway on the top of the airship towards the propellers. They all quickly leaped over the metal railings, clinging onto them for dear life when the lightning bolt caused an explosion near the propellers.

"Fuck!" the lord of Rocket Town cursed aloud. He gripped the control stick tightly with both hands, trying desperately hard to stabilize the airship. The vehicle dipped back into the cloud layer and exited within sights of the crystal forest of Macalania.

While Cid prepared the ship for a crash landing, the Keyblade wielders were still clinging onto the metal railings. Roxas struggled over to the open ladder hatch and reached for Sora, helping him to get closer. A familiar scream froze his blood and he looked as Naminé lost her grip on the metal railing.

"Naminé!" Kairi and Riku simultaneously screamed in horror. Besides them, Zephyr released his grip on the railings and dove after the falling girl.

"Zeph, no!" shouted Coral, reaching for her overly heroic friend. The Chaser managed to grab the blonde before pulling out his Keyblade and pointing it above his head. The distinct sight of Chaser teleport surrounded the pair before they disappeared. No one knew or heard where they went, the shrill winds drowning out any and all sounds around them.

"Get back into the ship!" Mickey shouted. Roxas didn't need any further commands to quickly shimmy down the ladder, watching with worry as his friends and allies slowly made their way down the ladder. Another lurch nearly caused Aqua to fall from the ladder, but luckily Coral was there to steady the blue-haired woman.

The second explosion knocked both Rocky and Pan off their feet and they slid towards the burning engine before Rocky managed to grab onto the metal railing and stopped their descent. He grunted when Pan's weight pulled him down.

"C'mon, Pan," he growled, pulling the red-haired Chaser up. "No time to be gawking."

The usually stoic man snapped out of the brief lapse of attention and grabbed the metal railing on the other end, pulling himself toward the open hatch where Mickey waited with worry in his black eyes. He followed the mouselord into the ship with Rocky following him.

"Hang on!" Cid's voice came over the loudspeakers before the ship suddenly turned sideways. The first crash sent both Rocky and Pan flying through the ship before they landed in a heap on one side of the airship. The airship bounced up once as it tore into the crystal forest before landing and skidding to a halt some hundred yards from the initial landing.

The normal lights flickered for a few seconds before the emergency lights turned on, adding to the eerie silence that reigned within the downed airship.

Moans and groans softly filled the air as men and women regained their senses. Cries of despair followed soon after as soldiers found their comrades dead from the crash while others were severely wounded.

"Rocky! Pan!" Ceres cried in alarm upon finding the crumpled forms of her fellow Chasers. Both men were breathing, but remained unconscious.

"Cloud? Zack?" Tifa's voice echoed through the ship. "Cid?"  
"We're okay!" Zack's voice answered. The queen of Nibelheim breathed a sigh of relief.

"Stop shouting, woman!" Cid's gruff voice also responded. Tifa could only smile at the unkempt lord's crudeness.

"Everyone!" she called out to cut through the despairs of her soldiers. If you are well and able, help the injured out. We'll get the wounded stabilized before we move on."

A scattering of "Yes, your Majesty!" answered back.

Roxas shielded his eyes from the glaring emergency lights and blinked deliberately, grimacing at the headache that plagued his brain.

Nearby, Sora fared even better as he helped Kairi, who was nursing her left wrist tenderly. Aqua appeared fine but remained seated on the ground, while Terra lied on his stomach, wincing at his wounded back. Riku was slightly disoriented based on his gait but was otherwise fine. Coral had run over to where Rocky and Pan lied while Minato helped Sirocco up. On the other hand, Mickey seemed perfectly well as he leaped across the debris to find an emergency exit.

The blonde hissed as he sat up, a popped shoulder made his arm looked unnatural. He gritted his teeth and grabbed the shoulder, popping it back into place. Soreness remained, forcing him to steady it with his free hand. He stood up gingerly and walked over to his siblings, silently scanning over the pair to see any external injuries.

"Are you okay?" he asked, careful not to jostle his own sprain has he crouched down.

"I'm fine," Terra answered. "Just my back. Aqua twisted her ankle."

"I'll live," joked the blue-haired woman with a grin. A loud noise caught their attention and they turned to see the exit ramp being opened up with the squeaking of hydraulics and gears.

As Roxas stepped out into the snow-covered crystal forest, any worries were suddenly banished by the breath-taking sight in front of him. The crystal trees sparkled underneath the waning light, creating a kaleidoscope of colors upon the snow.

"Oh, wow," Aqua breathed softly, simply amazed at the picturesque sight in front of her. Standing next to her and supporting her weight, Terra was equally impressed by the crystal forest. "This is incredible."

A soft chuckle came from behind them as Tifa passed by the pair while carrying a healer's kit. "You should see the castle then," she answered with a smile, allowing herself the brief moment of levity. "It looks like it's straight out of a picture book."

"Really?" the blue-haired woman asked eagerly, her eyes sparkling like a five-year-old girl who's always dreamed of fairy tales.

"Yup," laughed Tifa. She set the healer's kit down in the snow and gestured for Aqua to sit on a fallen tree. "I'm not as good as Aerith, but I think I can deal with a sprained ankle."

Aqua could only giggle at the black-haired woman's modesty, cutting off with a hiss when Tifa tested her ankle. She pulled the shoe and sock off to make a better inspection of the swollen ankle and tried her best to probe for possible breaks.

"Sorry," she murmured each time the blue-haired woman hissed in pain.

"N-no," Aqua answered. "It's fine."

"Well, I can say for sure that it's just a sprain. You should be fine in a few days." Tifa pulled out a roll of linen bandages and a wooden splint.

"We'll probably have to stay here for a while too," Cloud said as he joined them. "At least half of the soldiers are injured in some way or another. Thank the gods only three were lost in the crash."

"My baby," moaned Cid sadly as he stepped backwards, staring at the ruined airship with despondence. "My beautiful girl."

"Ugh, Cid," Tifa said, utterly annoyed at his infatuation with his flying machines. "You can always build another one."

"Sierra's irreplaceable!" exclaimed the unshaven lord.

Tifa would've said more but Cloud quickly placed a hand over her mouth. She gave him a look of exasperation. "Just let him deal with it on his own time," the blond-haired general said with a smile. "Shera'll knock some sense into him."

"Fine," murmured Tifa.

Just a few feet away, Mickey was wrapping up Kairi's broken wrist with a makeshift splint and bandages.

"Do you," the red-haired girl began fearfully, "Do you think Naminé is alright?"

"Let me finish helping you then go check," the mouselord answered truthfully. "To be honest, none of us has ever attempted to teleport while moving. For all we know, the motion might be transferred after they teleported."

"Where do you think they are?" she asked, looking at Mickey, whose eyes remained upon treating the princess's injury.

"If Zephyr remembered, then either Radiant Garden, Destiny Islands, or Twilight Town," he replied simply.

"Not Macalania?" she asked again.

"Don't you remember?" Riku interjected. "Levan's gone. All the Stations of Awakening are gone with that continent. Only the Stations of Serenity in our kingdoms are still there since they're not connected to Levan."

"Oh right," Kairi murmured.

"She'll be fine," Riku reassured the girl, though he wasn't entirely certain that was the case. "She's tough."

Kairi looked up at the silver-haired prince and smiled. "She is," she agreed with a nod.

"Are they okay?" Riku asked as he looked over to Rocky and Pan who remained motionless on a cleared patch of ground. Coral, Ceres, and Minato were doing their best to figure out what was wrong with their friends, but none of them have extensive medical knowledge to correctly evaluate their conditions.

Mickey followed his vision and looked at the other Chasers with concern. "Until there's a proper healer here, we don't know what's happened to them."

"Surely Aerith would've seen us falling from the sky," suggested Kairi. The mouse only nodded silently.

"There," he said cheerily. "I'll be right back." With that, he disappeared in a swirling pillar of white numbers and letters.

"She'll be fine," Riku reassured Kairi again when the redhead lowered her head in obvious worry. "You'll see."

Kairi looked up at the silver-haired prince and smiled weakly. "I know. I just can't help it."

Both teens jumped slightly when they found Mickey Mouse appear next to them so soon after he had left.

"Is Naminé?" the princess began hurriedly before cutting herself off upon seeing one of Mickey's hands up.

"She's fine," answered Mickey to the relief of both Kairi and Riku. "Where's Tifa?"

"What is it, Mickey?" the black-haired woman asked as she made her way over to them after handing Coral and Ceres supplies to help Rocky and Pan with.

"Zephyr's in bad shape," he frowned. "I need you to take care of him for now."

"Where is he?" Tifa asked, checking the small bag slung across her shoulders to make sure she had enough supplies.

"Radiant Garden," he answered, holding one hand out for her to take. "I simply need you to stabilize him until we can get the Radiant Garden healers to him."

"Alright," Tifa replied with a smile of confidence. "I'll do what I can."

"Tifa, wait," Roxas reached out. "I have something to tell you…" His voice trailed off as he lowered his gaze.

"Whatever it is, can it wait, Roxas?" asked Mickey, confused with the boy's behavior; but concern for his friend's wellbeing weighed upon his mind far more.

"Yeah," the blonde answered. With that agreement, Mickey Mouse and Tifa Lockhart teleported away from the crash site.

"Roxas," Sora said with concern, laying a comforting hand upon the younger teen's uninjured shoulder. "What is it?"

"It's something I have to tell Tifa first," the Nobody answered, raising his eyes tentatively to meet Sora's own. The swirling emotions of melancholy within the ice blue depths was all that the brunet needed to cease his questioning.

"I understand," he smiled reassuringly. "I'll wait." The brown-haired teen then turned to the others. "So what now? There's not much we can do."

"We'll just have to wait for Mickey to get back with Naminé and Tifa," Riku answered. "Let's hope Aerith will get here soon."

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: Yay, an update! I originally had planned on getting this chapter out at least a week ago, but catching the flu pushed the entire process back at least a week. The next chapter is a bit short right now, but should be completed within the next week. And then it's the final chapter and epilogue. Oh gosh, how quickly time goes by._

_No big references in this chapter really. The title is from a song from "Legend of Mana", composed by none other than Yoko Shimomura. And that's it, honestly._

_A bit of a rant that's not related to the fic itself, but Kingdom Hearts 3DS is officially titled "Dream Drop Distance". Sounds like a trance song than a game title, in my honest opinion, haha. As for Re:coded. I'm pretty much done with the completion of the final System Area and getting Ultima Weapon. Surprisingly, I think the level 80 System Area in Hollow Bastion is easier than the level 70 System Area for Agrabah. I could get all the rewards in one go instead of 2-3 for Agrabah (probably because the final challenge for the Agrabah area's so much harder than compared to the challenges for Hollow Bastion). Still, I need to finish leveling Ultima Weapon, speed run through all the worlds, complete them on Proud/Critical/Fatal modes, and find a way to get Avatar items in the Avatar Menu… So I guess I'm not actually that done with that game yet, heh._

_In any case, barring any major distractions, I'll have another chapter out within the month. 'Til then, enjoy this chapter. _


	24. Tears of the Light

_To reviewers of chapter 22 and others:_

_DarkBombayAngel: Here's the next one! Haha._

_Negative-Girl: Thanks for all the compliments. I try my best to put up decent works. Too bad I feel like I made myself unable to read the other fanfics out there now. Still, I hope that I can inspire other fanfic writers to put more thought into their work instead of just "blah" like I've done before. So difficult to go back and read some of my past works now, haha._

_Azuresapphire15: To be honest, I've never really played FFX, so I don't know how exactly Macalania forest looks like. I just imagine it to be like a forest of crystalline trees, hehe. And there will be more drama, of course. Otherwise it'd be a boring fanfic!_

_SweetyCat Kisses: Chocobos are awesome! Even if they are rather ugly in FFXIII in my opinion. Thanks for the review. Better late than never, right? XD._

* * *

_(Ahh, I forgot about the recaps in the previous few chapters. Sorry!)_

_Recap thus far: As the heir to the throne of Destiny Islands, Sora knew that his life would be difficult; little did he know just how difficult it would become. Juggling between his duties to his own country and his heart to his Nobody, the young king faced a most difficult future without Roxas when he returned from the realm of the Heartless while the freed Nobody remained behind on Kingdom Hearts. Surprisingly, the youngest of the Original Three managed to separate himself from his reincarnate in Roxas and sent the boy back to his rightful place by Sora's side. Together, the pair fought to protect Nibelheim, the ancient Chaser capital, from Xehanort's Heartless horde. However, one of the Chasers' own sacrificed her life to thwart their common enemy's plans to test his newfound powers. Now, with their escape from the crystallized fort ending in a crash, Sora, Roxas, and their friends and allies must head toward Macalania and began their final stand against Xehanort's wrath._

* * *

_Warning: Blood, gore, and major death._

* * *

**Chapter 23 – Tears of the Light**

* * *

All was still within the dark circular room with a ceiling so high that it couldn't be seen. With a trilling sound and a flash of white light, two figures appeared in the room, crashing into the stained glass floor, shattering the colored glass.

A yell and a thud later the pair came to a stop next to the gray stone wall, leaving a visible trail from where they skidded across the floor. It was only then did the taller man let go of the girl in his arms.

Naminé was slow to get up, clearly shaken up by her near death experience. As she moved, she brushed against the man that had saved her, eliciting a groan from the injured man. Her eyes took in the terrible shape the man was in.

Cuts were everywhere, caused by the sharp glass that had rained down on them when they crashed. His left arm twisted awkwardly next to him. He grimaced as he took in a sharp breath, coughing out blood.

"Zephyr," Naminé called to him in a whisper, her hands trembling as they tried to help him. The wounded man hissed as the movement jostled his broken ribs, but the Nobody refused to let him remain crumpled against the wall; he had to lie down.

Thankfully, she had her traveler's pack and she quickly pulled out a roll of bandages to bind the more superficial wounds on his legs. Pushing aside the seeming hopelessness of the man's condition, she quickly looked around, looking for something that she could fashion as a splint; there was none.

Just as the feeling of despair returned, she heard a trilling sound behind her. She quickly turned to see Mickey there, a look of worry deepening when he saw the injuries on his fellow Chaser.

"Oh gods, Zephyr!" he exclaimed, taking the few steps quickly toward the white-haired man.

"H-hey, Mickey," Zephyr winced as he greeted the mouse.

"Don't talk," Mickey replied immediately. "Naminé, stay with him. I'll be right back."

The light-haired girl nodded quietly. "I'll do what I can."

Mickey gave her a smile of encouragement before he teleported back to the other Chasers.

Naminé eyed the man's broken arm with concern, reaching towards it gently. Zephyr grimaced again as more pain shot up his arm.

"We have to reset the bone," she said, swallowing down the self-doubt that she wouldn't be able to set the bone correctly even though it had been part of her training.

"Just do it," Zephyr gritted out, spitting out blood that filled his mouth. He closed his eyes tightly, steeling himself when he felt the girl's hands on his broken arm. They both held their own breaths as Naminé pushed the broken ends of the bone towards each other to make sure the bone would heal properly. She almost didn't manage it when the Chaser had screamed in pain.

Naminé let out a shaky breath once the bone was reset, but she knew it was not ideal for she had no splint to secure the arm with.

"Good work, Naminé," Tifa commended the blond-haired girl, lightly touching the Nobody's shoulder. Naminé quickly turned her head to face the queen of Nibelheim.

"Your Majesty!" the Nobody exclaimed, her eyes reflecting in alarm when she didn't see Kairi or Riku with the older woman. "Where are my mistress and Prince Riku? Are they alright?"

"They're just fine, Naminé. A little bit banged up, but nothing serious. They're in no shape to help out others, though."

"As long as they are well, that is all I ask for. Oh, thank goodness," the girl let out a breath of relief.

"Naminé," Mickey said kindly. "Let Tifa help Zephyr for now. We should go find a trained healer."

The Nobody nodded and relinquished her hold upon the man's broken arm as the black-haired woman set a splint next to the reset arm.

"Where are we?" she asked, following the mouse in the direction of a passageway. The broken glass crackled underneath their feet, reminding the girl of the dangers her savior was in. She pursed her lips together, feeling guilty for what had happened to the white-haired man.

"Radiant Garden," answered Mickey, summoning his Keyblade as they approached the end of the passageway. From the flash of light, Naminé could see the elaborate crest upon the door. It certainly wasn't the crest for the Radiant Garden royal family, but it contained same fleur-de-lis motif that was shared between Twilight Town, Radiant Garden, and Destiny Islands.

"It's the crest of the Chasers," Mickey answered her unasked question. He pointed the tip of the Keyblade at the single keyhole in the middle of the crest, letting light accumulate before shooting into the magical keyhole. As the double doors slowly opened into the royal library of Radiant Garden, Mickey dismissed his weapon and stepped across the magical threshold.

"Go find a healer, Naminé. I'm going to go find Ansem, Ran, and Eiko," Mickey instructed the light-haired girl, referring to the rulers of Radiant Garden by their first names.

"Of course, milord," the Nobody curtsied before rushing off to carry out Mickey's instructions. The mouselord stopped for a moment to stare at the blond-haired girl, having forgotten that there remained a status difference between himself and the teen, despite his belief that she is an equal.

Pushing aside the momentary lapse, the anthropomorphic mouse hurried through the busy castle, giving each bowing servant the minimum amount of acknowledgement in his rush. He quickly arrived at the throne room and passed by the pair of guards at the entryway.

Queen Eiko Desgardia of Radiant Garden was a short woman, but she never allowed her height disadvantage to let others bully her. Her purple hair was cropped just above the neckline, held up by a large pink bow. It made her look childlike, but no one dared to underestimate the diminutive woman, especially since she was the heiress to the Radiant Garden throne until she gave birth to her own daughter.

Her husband, Ran, was a tall man with fiery red hair that was cut equally short. He was once an unapproachable scholar from Trabia, his amethyst eyes boring into all who approached him sharply. It wasn't until he met Eiko that the edge about him softened and he became much more easy-going. The birth of his daughter melted his icy exterior even further, making him one of the most beloved rulers in the history of Radiant Garden, much to his wife's amusement.

"Mickey!" Queen Eiko Desgardia uttered with surprise as she stood up from her throne to run to the Chaser. She knelt down in front of the mouselord with concern written all over her face. "How is Kairi? Where is she?"

"She's fine, Eiko," smiled the mouse, though it quickly faded. "You've heard that Nibelheim was under attack?" he asked.

Both the queen and king nodded in confirmation.

"We've been reinforcing the castle ever since Kairi dropped by after she got the Keyblade from Nibelheim. She told us everything," the king elaborated. "Does Nibelheim require more aid?"

Mickey shook his head. "Nibelheim is lost," he answered truthfully, eliciting sounds of shock from the two monarchs.

"How can that be?" Eiko asked, her emerald eyes expressing the confusion shared between her and her husband. "Kairi said that Macalania sent reinforcements."

"We found the Northern Crater army marching with the enemy. Have you any updates from them?"

Eiko and Ran looked at each other briefly, an unspoken understanding shared between the pair.

"So you've heard then?" Ran asked. Mickey looked up at the graying king with curiosity.

"Heard what?" the Chaser inquired with a frown.

"That I've been sent to exile by my own mother," a strong voice answered him. The Chaser turned to see Prince Sephiroth Crescent of Northern Crater revealing himself from behind one of the many pillars within the throne room. The silver-haired man joined them with a stony look upon his face, undoubtedly to mask the hurt and anger stemming from his mother's betrayal. His Nobody, Kadaj, stepped a few feet into view with a slight frown upon his face, but he said nothing, only keeping his eyes upon the prince of Northern Crater.

"My mother has gone mad," he confessed. "She listens to no one but an old crone named Jenova."

"Jenova?" Mickey asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You know her?" asked the king of Radiant Garden. Surprisingly, the mouselord shook his head.

"It's a familiar name, but I have no memories associated with her," Mickey replied.

"I need aid to invade my country and reclaim my birthright," Sephiroth continued vehemently. "I have to save my mother."

"Now is not the time for reckless actions, Sephiroth," Ran chastised. "With the Darkness covering our lands steadily, you will just be plunging your own country into further destitution should you choose a military action against your mother's rule. You have to wait."

"Jenova is poisoning my mother's mind further as we speak!" the prince exclaimed hot-bloodedly. "I can't simply stand by and do nothing!"

"But you must," frowned Mickey Mouse.

"Mickey is right, your Highness," Ansem the wise added as he strode into the room calmly. Mickey noted that the old man looked even older since the last time he was in Radiant Garden, and it hadn't been that long since then. A look of worry came into his eyes and he made a mental note to check his colleague after they persuaded the prince of Northern Crater to delay his plans to return to his homeland.  
"Would you risk losing your country to the Darkness? Your people are not stupid, your Highness. Jenova needs your mother to maintain rule over Northern Crater. And with the Northern Crater army in distant lands, Jenova has no defense against a peasant revolt."

"Don't forget, Jenova has power over your mother right now. What is to say that if you manage to wrest the kingdom from your mother, she wouldn't do the same to you?" added Eiko wisely.

"Then what am I supposed to do?" the irate man asked darkly, the anger at his allies' decision to not aid him simmering just beneath the surface.

"Help Radiant Garden," answered Mickey calmly. "With Nibelheim out of the picture, Xehanort will be targeting the kingdoms of the Three. If they fall, then this entire world will be lost. You wouldn't have a country to reclaim."

"Very well," Sephiroth said tersely before brushing past the older and wiser lords of Radiant Garden. Kadaj quickly followed, bowing in respect to the lords and lady who remained.

"That boy still has a lot to learn," commented Ansem once the prince and his Nobody had left the room.

"You can't blame him," frowned Ran. "Lucrezia has been ruling for a long time and her son is very ambitious. I only hope he wouldn't do something rash as king when he does ascend the throne."

"That's all we can hope," Mickey replied. "Come, I have things to tell you on my way back to Nibelheim."

"How are you here if Nibelheim's two weeks away?" Ansem asked as they walked out of the throne room at a fast pace. "She couldn't have fallen that long ago. We would've gotten news of it already."

Mickey stopped in his steps to look up at the elderly lord with whom he compiled information on the now defunct Imperialists. "You weren't told?"  
"Told what?" he asked as he looked over toward the monarchs of Radiant Garden. Mickey did the same, looking at the pair expectantly.

"Kairi told us in private," Eiko answered. "We thought it was better we didn't tell anyone else."

"You didn't have to keep it a secret," smiled Mickey. "All of Destiny Islands and Twilight Town already know of the Chasers' reappearance."

"You're a Chaser then, I surmise," Ansem said, though there remained a seed of doubt within those words.

"I am," confirmed the mouselord. "It is how I am able to travel great distances." He resumed the brisk walk, trusting his friends to follow him without further delay.

They entered into the royal library within a minute of Naminé's arrival with the royal healers. She had been distraught upon discovering that the door to the Station of Serenity had somehow disappeared. The appearance of Mickey quickly chased those worries away.

"Naminé!" exclaimed Eiko with surprise.

"Your Majesty," the Nobody quickly bowed in respect. The queen crossed the few steps between them and made the Nobody lift her face. She was relieved to see the Nobody well, though the worry within the girl's eyes confused her.

The familiar sound of a Keyblade being summoned rang behind her and the former owner of the Lily of the Valley Keyblade turned to see Mickey Mouse raising an oddly familiar Keyblade above his head—one that's shaped exactly like the Kingdom Key but had the direct opposite coloration.

A beam of light shot from the tip of the Keyblade towards the center of the room, forming a Keyhole before extending outwards to create the door leading to the Radiant Garden Station of Serenity. The sound of a mechanism unlocking echoed through the room as the double doors slowly swung open to reveal the dark corridor through which Mickey and Naminé came from.

"Come," Mickey said, dismissing the Keyblade with a wave of his sword arm. He stepped through the magical doorway without looking back. The healers quickly followed the lords and lady of Radiant Garden as they trailed after the mouselord. Naminé was the last one to enter, taking up the flank without another word.

They quickly came upon the circular room that was the Station of Serenity. Tifa had managed to remove Zephyr's coat and bloodied shirt in order to treat the internal injuries that the man surely would have suffered.

"We're back, Tifa," Mickey greeted. The young queen stood up and wiped her forehead with the back of her wrist.

"I've done what I can," she smiled weakly, gesturing to the severely injured man. She had set a splint next to the man's broken arm, wrapped the small wounds upon his limbs and head, but she was hesitant in blindly binding the man's torso. She knew that Aerith had spoken of "cutting a patient open" to treat internal injuries, but she was not one trained in the advanced healing arts as to understand the need to do such a thing.

"You've done plenty," Mickey smiled. "Let the healers follow up."

Tifa nodded and took a step back to give the healers of Radiant Garden room to operate. The healers bowed in respect with a "Your Majesty" before kneeling to tend to the injured man.

"We should get back to the others," the mouse said. "Will you take care of Zephyr for us?"

"Of course," Eiko nodded. "You didn't even need to ask."

"I'm glad."

"M-mickey," groaned Zephyr. Mickey frowned at his friend's unspoken desire to return with them.

"You have to get better, Zephyr. Even if the end is near for us, you are in no condition to fight. I won't let you throw your life away so wantonly."

"The end is near?" Ansem asked, raising an eyebrow at his friend's strange phrasing.

Mickey laughed with a sparkle in his eyes, looking forward to the next stage of his journey. "Just because I've lived for a long time, that doesn't mean I can't pass into the Promised Land," he explained. "The Chasers will remain here as long as the Heartless are in our world. Once the Door is closed, we'll finally be able to move on."

"Will this be the last time we see you then?" the old man asked nostalgically, kneeling down to look at his old friend eye to eye on the same level.

"Perhaps," smiled the mouselord.

"If so, then this is good-bye, my good friend," smiled Ansem. Although the news that his colleague was a being who has lived for hundreds of years was a surprise, Ansem had the wisdom to accept things as they come, especially when it came to matters revolving around the Keyblade. "It has been an honor to know you."

"This isn't really good-bye, Ansem," Mickey replied immediately. "We'll simply meet again on the other side."

The white-haired lord laughed with amusement at his friend's apt answer. "That is very true."

"And that goes for all of you," Mickey added with a smile, looking particularly at Eiko and Ran.

"It's a promise, Mickey Mouse," smiled the purple-haired queen.

"Come, Tifa, Naminé. Let us return." He held his hands out for the two to take.

"Naminé," Ran said. "Tell Kairi to take care of herself."

"I will protect her with my life, your Majesty," the Nobody answered firmly. "I promise she will return unharmed."

"Do not make such promises lightly, my child," the king replied kindly. "But thank you."

The king's words surprised her, causing her to blink in confusion before smiling. "I do not make promises that I cannot fulfill, your Majesty. You have my word."  
Though Ran had opened his mouth to argue, Queen Eiko raised her hand to touch her husband on the lips. "We believe you, Naminé," she answered. "Just try your best to come back to us as well?"

"I will do my best, your Majesty," Naminé answered with a brief curtsey.

"'Til then, my friends," Mickey said. A pillar of light appeared around the trio and dispersed as quickly as it was formed. The three were gone, just like that.

* * *

Roxas fidgeted with a corner of his coat nervously, each passing moment that Tifa wasn't back weighed heavily upon his mind. He wondered if he would have the courage to tell the dark-haired queen the truth of her grandmother's death.

Sitting nearby, Sora simply watched the younger teen silently, unable to provide encouraging words when the blonde rejected all attempts thus far. He knew, just as the blonde knew, that Roxas would find comfort only once he spoke of his secret freely.

A familiar sound preceded a familiar sight in the small circular clearing where a roaring campfire was burning away. Instantly, Kairi stood up from where she sat and ran over to hug Naminé.

"Oh, gods, Naminé," she murmured to the pale-haired Nobody. "Thank goodness you're alright."

"Your Highness…" the younger girl blushed lightly at her mistress's concern, returning the embrace with reassurance. She looked up to find Riku standing just out of her reach with a look of relief upon his face. She smiled back at him, letting the moment of reunion blanket over them warmly.

"Mickey, how is Zeph?" Coral asked with concern, stepping towards the mouselord once the white pillar had faded away.

"He's in good hands, Coral. You need not worry," Mickey smiled comfortingly, holding one of her hands in a gentle grasp. "How are Rocky and Pan?"

"Still unconscious," the green-haired Chaser answered.

"Her Majesty, the queen of Macalania, approaches!" a man shouted from his perch amongst the crystalline trees.

"Good timing," Mickey said with a smile. "Aerith will know what ails our friends."

It wasn't long before Aerith's steed came to a sliding halt in front of her friends. She quickly dismounted and embraced her fiancé with a kiss before releasing him and grasping her best friend's arms firmly.

"Oh thank the gods above," she exclaimed. "I came as quickly as I could. I had feared the worst when I saw Sierra crash."

"We lost three, but many more are injured," Tifa replied, stifling a yawn.

"I thought as much," Aerith answered, gesturing for her healers to get to work. "I took the liberty to send two messengers, one to Rocket Town, the other to Macalania. We'll be getting some more supplies in a day or two."

"That's good." The black-haired woman looked about the healers who had accompanied Aerith and frowned at the absence of a familiar face.

"Is grandmama not with you?" she asked.

Aerith looked at Tifa with surprise, shaking her head in response. "I thought she had joined you guys after she told me to evacuate the rest of the troops from the forge."

The queen of Nibelheim latched onto her honey-blonde friend like a lifeline. "Aerith, tell me. Where was the last place you saw her?"

"The infirmary," she answered simply. "She told me that the Chasers have a way to destroy the forge."

"But we didn't have a way," Mickey answered in confusion.

"The crystallization of the forge was not known to you?" Aerith asked. Mickey only shook his head.

"It was known to Lady Arashi," Roxas said loudly, making sure that they all heard as he slowly made his way over to Tifa Lockhart.

"What do you mean by that?" frowned Mickey. "How could she know of a way when all the rest of us don't?"

Roxas looked away with a soft "tsk", clutching his injured shoulder tightly. He was reluctant to share the information with the Chaser, blaming himself for what had happened.

"Roxas," Tifa said, kneeling down in front of the boy. She laid two hands around his shoulder and tried to inspect his face, but the boy only looked away. "Tell me what happened?"

"Lady Arashi is gone," he whispered softly, relenting to the pleading tone within the woman's voice. Tifa's fingers tightened slightly around him, making him wince as she trembled.

"What-what do you mean by that?" she asked in disbelief. "She's a Chaser. She can't… die."

"She can," murmured the blond-haired teen. "They're not completely immortal, your Majesty." He raised his head to look at her in the eyes, letting the emotions run free. "The crystals that cover the fort," he continued. "That was her work."

"But-" Sora began, only to stop short when Roxas looked at him with sharp eyes.

"Before I left Kingdom Hearts," confessed Roxas, "I was given three items: the Keyblade, the crystal shard that opened up a doorway for me to pass through from the realm of the Heartless back to here, and a crystal seed. It had been something that Ventus prepared for the forge."

"A crystal seed to make more crystals," murmured Mickey, crossing his arms in thought.

His voice softened, turning into the voice of a timid child. "She said that Ventus never meant for me to use that seed. She said that he knew a Chaser would be there. I'm sorry, Tifa." The memories of his last encounter with Arashi filled him with regret; he should have done more to persuade the Chaser not to sacrifice her life. Tears fell from his ice blue eyes, blurring the look of acceptance upon the queen's face.

"It was her choice," Tifa replied, her voice soft with grief. "She's lived far longer than I'd have ever imagined. It was her time to go."

"But-" protested Roxas. Even with his vision blurred, he could still see the older woman shaking her head.

"You're right, Roxas. No one can live forever," Tifa answered soothingly. "We can only delay the inevitable. Even though she was my grandmama, I still have a family." She glanced in the direction of Cloud, who looked at her and smiled.

As Roxas observed the pair, he could tell just how much the two adults cared for one another. Whether that translates into an imminent marriage remains to be seen. He turned to look at Sora and wondered if they would go through a wedding ceremony themselves.

He jumped slightly when he found himself in Tifa's embrace, a blush adorned his face. "Thank you, Roxas."

"Huh?" the teen uttered lamely, confused by the queen's sense of gratitude.

"Thank you for telling me the truth about my grandmama's death. She died doing what her heart told her to do. I'm glad she didn't die in vain."

"You're welcome," he replied. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"There is no need to be sorry, Roxas. No need at all." Even as she spoke the words, she could only let the tears of grief fall.

* * *

Sora tapped his feet against the ground restlessly. There was nothing else he could do to help the others. The light injuries sustained by various soldiers had all been tended to. The dead were buried with markers made from the crystal trees of the woods. There was more than enough firewood to fuel the fires through the cold wintery night and the interior of the ruined airship had been cleared out to house the majority of the crash survivors. A few temporary tents were assembled from whatever materials they could find for the rest of them.

Now, he sat on a fallen log with nothing but his thoughts as company. He didn't understand why, but he felt as though someone was watching them closely, waiting for their guards to fall before striking. He looked up and chewed on his bottom lip, silently calculating how long it had been since the sun had set.

"You alright?" Cloud asked as he took a seat next to the fidgety teen, handing him a cup of steaming stew.

"Thanks," Sora said, taking the cup from the Nibelheim general. He blew the steam away from the top of the cup, glad that the ceramic kept the heat from burning his hands. Taking a slow sip from the cup, he felt rejuvenated by the broth, culminated with a sigh of satisfaction at the end of the sip. Only a trace of the previous restlessness that had plagued him lingered in the back of his mind.

Next to him, the Nibelheim general took a longer drink after using the snow to cool the soup down slightly. He let out a similar sigh of satisfaction before opening his eyes and smiling at the teenage king.

"To be truthful," Sora confessed, "I've been feeling restless ever since we crashed. The feeling's gotten worse lately."

"A lot of us feel the same way," Cloud replied. "We're sitting ducks the longer we remain here without a permanent fortification. Surely the enemy armies would have reached the forge by now."

"I don't think they will be able to get past the crystals right now though," Roxas interjected. "The crystal has shown to be sentient to a certain extent, don't you think?"

"Even if it's so, I wouldn't rely on it," the general answered.

"True," agreed the blond-haired teen.

"How's your shoulder?" Sora asked, abruptly changing the topic. Roxas only shrugged.

"It'll get better," he replied. "Some sleep might be good for you, Sora."

"Maybe," Sora murmured, stifling a tired yawn as he did so. He blushed upon seeing the amused look on the younger teen's face.

"Finish your soup, then I'm making you sleep." Roxas took a seat in front of Sora on the snow-covered ground, watching him closely to make sure he finished the meager meal.

"Yes, mom," Sora joked, drinking his stew. His lover frowned, almost mirroring Sora's own occasional petulant expressions. The look on the yellow-haired teen's face was so uncharacteristic of the blonde that Sora couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?" Roxas asked, raising an eyebrow in question. Sometimes, he truly wondered if his Other hadn't lost it.

"Sorry," chuckled the brunet. "I didn't know you could pout like that."

"I don't pout," murmured Roxas with a blush, looking away with an "humph". He would've crossed his arms, but his injured left shoulder still bothered him when he moved it.

Sora only hid his smile behind the cup as he finished his dinner.

Cloud watched the entire exchange between the two silently. He wondered if his own brother was at ease with his master like Roxas appeared to be with Sora. The thoughts turned worrisome as he looked up at the cloud-covered skies. Nibelheim wasn't a particularly close ally of Zanarkand, it being the northernmost kingdom on the continent of Ivalice far to the east. Originally the Lord and Lady of Zanarkand had been scheduled to visit in two months time, but with the encroaching Darkness, the visit was canceled. Now, Cloud could only wonder how his brother was faring.

"Good night, Cloud," Sora said, standing up from his seat. The general snapped out of his thoughts and looked up at the brown-haired teen with a nod.

"Night," he replied. He then watched the pair of teens disappear into one of the few tents near the airship where, if he recalled correctly, Terra and Aqua were.

"What are you thinking?" Tifa asked as she took the seat that had been previously occupied by Sora. She looked haggard, having been helping with the injured despite the ill news that her grandmother had died.

"Nothing," Cloud answered absentmindedly, resuming his meal.

"Yeah right," scoffed Tifa skeptically. "I know you too well, Cloud. You can't hide anything from me."

"Tidus," the man sighed. The queen raised an eyebrow, confused as to where her love was going with this. "I worry if my brother's like Roxas," he confessed.

"Emotionless?" supplied Tifa. Cloud nodded.

The black-haired beauty ate her stew silently, trying to find the words to answer her beloved. "I don't think so," she said at long last. "Naminé and Eri both had their moments of normalcy when they're with each other. I'm sure Tidus is fine. I'm sure my sister's fine too…" she trailed off.

"But they're Nobodies," frowned Cloud.

"So?" Tifa challenged. "They're still human. You're thinking too much."

"Do you think so?" the yellow-haired general asked quietly.

"Have faith in Tidus and Yuna, Cloud," she continued. "Even though they might not remember us and we might not really remember them, they're still our kin. They're strong. Trust me."

Cloud looked into Tifa's wine-colored eyes and smiled. "You're right," he replied. "I shouldn't worry that much. If Roxas and Naminé are able to fight as proficiently as I've seen them, there's no reason to doubt Tidus's abilities."

"And with the Darkness falling, we'll definitely need them to help us out," Tifa added softly, looking up into the starless sky.

* * *

Sora opened his eyes to find himself standing upon a beach under a clear night sky, a white moon sat half-buried into the horizon, its reflection shimmering upon the calm sea. Seated in the sands next to him, Roxas stared at the white moon, calm and serene.

The entire place felt familiar to him, but he knew that he's never been there before. Jagged rock formations jutted up from the surface of the sea, changing the waves as they crashed softly against the gray sands.

_"Watch carefully as your heart betrays you,"_ a sinister voice echoed within his head. The voice was one that Sora would not soon forget, for it was the voice of his Heartless, his own Darkness that was twisted by the Nameless Key.

He gasped at the familiar voice, doubling over with one hand clutching his chest tightly as his heart pounded painfully within. His eyes dilated unnaturally and his breath came in short spurts, but none of the new air seemed to reach his lungs.

Roxas was immediately next to him, his voice filled with concern; yet Sora heard none of it.

_"Watch as your life crumbles around you,"_ the voice echoed again.

Sora opened his mouth, but no words would pass through his lips. He wanted to tell Roxas to run, to get away from him. His soul anguished at the terror that was to come.

He watched in horror as the skin upon his hand turned black, his fingers ending in dangerously sharpened tips. The blackness continued up his arm, covering all semblance of himself.

'No,' he cried to himself. 'Run, Roxas!'

The Darkness encompassed him much faster than either teen thought possible. By the time Roxas realized that the Nameless Key had inexplicably possessed his beloved, it was too late.

Sora's Heartless lashed out at the blond-haired boy, knocking him onto his back. Giving the former Nobody no chance to recover, the Dark creature straddled the teen, its sharp talons shredding the white jacket and the black shirt underneath. The Heartless let out a guttural laugh and roamed its hands across the teen's bare chest, leaving behind deep scratches that bled profusely.

'Stop!' Sora screamed, but the freed Darkness would not stop.

The trapped king prayed fervently that his love would fight back, but the boy was paralyzed, by what exactly, Sora didn't know.

The Heartless abandoned the boy's upper torso and made away with the blonde's pants and boxers, leaving him completely bare to the elements.

'Stop it, stop it, stop it,' Sora repeated in a desperate mantra. He tried to fight against the Darkness, but there was nothing he could do. The power that he was so used to having was gone. The Darkness had separated him from his Light.

"Sora…" Roxas whispered softly, tears falling from his eyes in sadness. He cried out in pain when the Heartless grabbed his manhood tightly, squeezing the soft piece of flesh in a vice like grip.

Disregarding the wellbeing of the boy underneath it, the creature released the teen and flipped him onto his hands and knees, one hand gripping his shoulder tightly, drawing blood where sharp finger tips dug into the pale skin.

_"Now watch as I destroy the one thing you care about the most,"_ the Heartless laughed.

Sora watched in absolute horror as the cruel being unsheathed a phallus before pushing into Roxas's unprepared body. Roxas screamed in agony, the shrill sound stabbing daggers into Sora's heart.

'This is just a nightmare,' Sora murmured to himself, 'wake up, wake up…' Yet, he didn't wake. He could only stare despondently as his Darkness raped his lover.

The brunet didn't even know when it happened, but all of a sudden, the Nameless Key was in the hands of his Darkness. A swing through the air later, blood splattered across the sands and Roxas's expressionless face flew through the air, landing with a thud in the wet sands.

"No, Roxas!" Sora yelled, startled awake by the end of the nightmare. Lights quickly flashed around his periphery as the other three occupants of the tent were awakened by Sora's scream. The brunet didn't pay attention to the others though, only breathing heavily. Roxas knelt next to him, rubbing circles on his back in concern. Terra and Aqua both watched Sora carefully, waiting for the teen to recover from whatever nightmare that had plagued him.

It wasn't until several minutes passed by did Sora finally calmed; his blue eyes were no longer wild and his breathing slowly to a more regular pattern. Roxas took a seat next to him and wrapped his right arm around the older teen to comfort him.

"Do you need something to drink?" Aqua asked, getting out of the bed roll.

"No, I'm fine," Sora replied, shaking his head. "It's just a nightmare."

"You want to talk about it?" Roxas asked, surprised when Sora suddenly embraced him tightly.

"Oh gods, Roxas," he murmured. "I dreamed that the Nameless Key took control. I dreamed that it hurt you then killed you!"

"Like you said, Sora," the blonde said soothingly, returning the embrace as best as he could with one arm. "It's just a nightmare."

"I can't forget what it did," Sora trembled, seeing the bloody images over and over again upon closing his eyes.

"What did it do?" Roxas asked hesitantly, almost scared of the answer based on the fear within the brown-haired king's voice.

"It raped you," Sora answered softly, burying his head against Roxas's shoulder. The yellow-haired teen stilled upon hearing the answer, looking down at the still trembling teen with mixed feelings.

"It's just a goddamn dream," scowled Terra sarcastically, plopping back down to go back to sleep.

"Shh," hissed Aqua, glaring at her callous brother before looking back at the two younger men.

"Terra's right though," Roxas said quietly. "It's just a dream. I don't think you would be capable of such abhorrent acts."

"Who knows," Sora retorted coolly, pulling away and wiping at his tear-stained cheeks. "I'm sure I have a dark side hiding within me. Who knows what it's capable of?"

"The Kingdom Key is here though. You're safe," reasoned Roxas.

"It's not me I'm worried about!" the brunet exclaimed, grasping the blonde by his shoulders. "I'm worried what would happen to you! I can't bear to lose you again."

"You won't though. As long as the Kingdom Key is here, then the Nameless Key won't hurt me."

"But Xehanort-"

"As long as we have each other, he can't do anything," the blonde reassured firmly but with a kind smile upon his face.

"Don't worry," he continued, cupping Sora's face with his hands. "We'll get through this together."

It was with a kiss that Roxas chased away Sora's fears.

* * *

The next morning brought with it the return of more snowfall, blanketing the campsite in a light layer of coldness.

Sora stepped out of the tent, stretching his limbs before shivering in the cold. He hurried over to the nearest campfire and sighed as the heat of the roaring fire staved off the coldness.

"Good morning, Sora," Coral smiled tiredly, a bowl of gruel in her hand.

"Morning," the king of Destiny Islands slurred in return, after sitting down. He stared sleepily at the bowl contents, having never eaten gruel before. It didn't even dawn on him that gruel was commonly consumed amongst the populace of Macalania and in some parts of Nibelheim.

"Here," Riku said, handing a bowl of the unknown content to his friend. Sora stared at it a few more silent seconds before looking up at the standing teen.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Macalanian porridge," answered Riku, sitting down next to Sora once his friend took the bowl from him.

"More like a gruel than a porridge," Coral commented offhanded, brushing a strand of hair back before it fell into her bowl.

"At least it's energizing," he remarked, taking a drink from his bowl.

"Is it even _edible_?" Sora eyed his bowl's soupy contents with suspicion.

"I'm eating it, aren't I?" laughed Riku.

"More like drinking it," Sora murmured before taking a tentative sip of the soupy substance. The heated milk was slightly sweet with a hint of herbs and the oats that swam in the soup was just crunchy enough to not have been overcooked. The strange mixture wasn't too bad, though Sora wished he was eating a more conventional breakfast.

Running his tongue over the grittiness of boiled milk that remained in his mouth, Sora quickly downed the rest of his bowl, resisting the urge to make his displeasure known when the grittiness remained. Not even the sweetness of the soupy substance could've compensated for the aftertaste.

He looked up in surprise to see Aerith's Nobody sweeping past them with a frown on her face, heading directly towards the large pot of gruel that was being doled out. He watched with confusion as the Nobody took the ladle from the man who was in charge and proceeded to add things to the gruel while the line of soldiers waiting for their portion of the food looked on in confusion.

"Oh, Eri," Aerith moaned in dismay as the Nobody continued to adjust the porridge. Sora looked up at the Macalanian queen, who looked haggard from the all-nighter she pulled to heal everyone who was injured.

"What's the matter?" Coral asked, equally bewildered by the Nobody's unusual behavior. From her own experiences with the Nobody who was named almost the same as the queen she serves, she didn't think Eri would act so boldly in public.

"They boiled the milk too much," the healer queen explained, taking a seat next to Sora. "Macalanian porridge is supposed to go down smooth. Eri's going to salvage the rest of the porridge."

"I think it needed a touch of honey too," Tifa added cheerfully.

"You might be right about that," laughed Aerith, watching her Nobody as she finished adjusting the porridge to the right taste. She quickly ladled out a bowl for her mistress and handed the ladle back to the cook, telling him to remove the pot from the fire to cool the porridge off every five minutes for two minutes in the snow. She then brought the bowl back to the queen who was sitting at the campfire, ignoring the stares she was getting from the soldiers in the food line.

"Thank you, Eri," Aerith smiled, accepting the bowl from her Nobody. The Nobody simply curtsied slightly before silently taking her spot behind the woman. The Macalanian queen took a drink from the bowl and smiled at the familiar taste. "Much better."

"Want a second bowl, Sora?" Riku asked, standing up from his spot.

"Uh, I'll pass," the brunet replied.

The silver-haired teen scoffed. "Picky eater."

Sora only responded by sticking his tongue out in a childish manner.

"Well, now that the breakfast issue's dealt with," Tifa said, pulling her fighting gloves out from the pack at her waist and flexing her gloved fingers. "Once the supplies get here, we're leaving to join with the rest of my people on their way to Macalania."

"We?" questioned Riku. "There are still people in no shape to travel."

"Shera will have the sense to send the older airship to us," the wine-eyed queen replied happily. "We're just leaving the wounded and the healers here until they get here. But I can't stay here. My people need me there."

"Zack will go with you too," Aerith said. "You will probably reach Macalania faster than we will at any case. I'm not sure if we can move Pan and Rocky yet either."

"But you don't have the supplies necessary to heal them here, do you?" frowned Coral.

"The human body heals while during rest. Once they can wake up on their own without our prodding, then we can move them back to Macalania and finish their recoveries there."

"I'll leave Cloud here with you, Aerith. Who knows if you'll need protection from the invading army when they finally get past the Nibel range."

"Thanks."

* * *

It was almost midday by the time the first of the supplies came from Macalania, the riders of the caravan appeared absolutely worn out in their haste to reach the crash site. And as planned, a small group of men and women left to join the procession of refugees on their way to Macalania.

Only Cloud, Cid, and Ceres remained with Aerith and the majority of the soldiers that were to protect the wounded. Terra had wanted Aqua to stay with the others, but the blue-haired woman would have none of it; she wasn't going to let her siblings out of her sight ever again. Roxas had offered her his support, but she only waved him off, using Oathkeeper as a walking cane to help her along.

Rocky and Pan had woken just in time to see their friends depart from the crash site; both had protested profusely at the others' decision to have them recover with the others.

"The Chasers are stubbornly selfless," Coral had commented with a grin as they left.

Their progress through the forest wasn't as fast as Tifa would've liked, but the cessation of snowfall was a welcomed relief, even if the temperature had dropped slightly. She took a glance backward at the group of people that tailed behind her, smiling to see that Aqua's sprained ankle seemed to have healed since the said-woman no longer was using her Keyblade to support her walk.

She turned back towards the direction that they were heading in and frowned, stopping abruptly as she noticed something odd in the snow.

"What is it?" Kairi asked as she looked at Tifa kneeling down.

"Footprints," Riku answered, observing the same set of footprints as the woman. The set appeared as abruptly as it ended just a few meters away, as though the person had teleported to that particular spot, took a few steps, then teleported away.

Suddenly, Naughts rose from the earth all around them, their wiry figures swaying on their feet.

"Dusks?" Mickey frowned in alarm as he and the rest of the Keyblade wielders summoned their Keyblades. The rest of the soldiers drew forth their swords to fight the enemies that engaged them.

Roxas quickly dispatched the Dusks closest to him, looking about to look for Xehanort, who he knew to be observing them from somewhere. A high-pitched whining sounded around him and he found himself surrounded by five Freeshooters aiming their weapons at him. He quickly jumped up as they shot at him, their projectiles crashing into each other where Roxas once was. The blonde then yelled as he brought the Lost Memory Keyblade down upon one of the Freeshooters, deflecting the other projectiles when they shot at him once again.

With spinning attack, he destroyed the Freeshooters and found Xehanort sneering at him just a few yards away. The man's eyes glinted sinisterly before he turned and began to walk away from the battle.

Although cold logic told him that he might be walking into a trap if he followed the man, his impassioned desire for revenge overrode everything.

"Xehanort!" he yelled angrily, chasing after the villain who was responsible for all the hurts the denizens of their world has had to endure.

"Roxas, don't go off by yourself!" Mickey shouted, destroying a nearby Dusk before parrying the attacks of another Naught.

"I'll go back him up," Sora said, chasing after the two. Little did he know, that was exactly what Xehanort wanted.

Roxas skidded to a halt when Xehanort suddenly disappeared in a swirl of darkness, surprised by the man's maneuver. A pained gasp from behind him made his heart skip a beat. He turned slowly to find his worst nightmare to come true.

Sora was just a few steps removed from the fighting when an unbearable pain suddenly exploded in his stomach. Trembling, he looked down with ashen white face to see a gaping hole in his abdominal region, a bloodied arm appearing out of thin air. He followed the arm up in shock and found the sneering face of Xehanort, his hand grasping onto the surprisingly physical hilt of the Nameless Key.

"Sora!" screamed Kairi, her face equally ashen. Her heart wrenched in sadness and shock at the sight of all the blood that spilt out of Sora's body.

Roxas was rooted to his spot, his eyes staring with disbelief. It didn't register with him that his beloved was going to die right in front of him.

The brunet choked as pain stabbed at every part of his being. He gasped in futile breaths, the light within his eyes dimming as they regarded the black-haired fiend.

With a laugh, Xehanort pulled the Nameless Key swiftly out from Sora's body, watching with sinister glee as the teen collapsed onto the ground like a marionette without its strings. His evil laughter rang within their ears even after he disappeared into the shadows. The Naughts that had accompanied him all disappeared as well.

At that moment, whatever spell that had been cast upon Roxas's body suddenly shattered on its own. The blonde screamed hysterically, the reality of death dawning upon him. He rushed over to Sora's fallen body and cradled his love in his arms.

"No!" he cried. His entire body trembled with his sobs. He tried to stop the bleeding by applying pressure, but the wound was simply much too large; Sora's lifeblood continued to flow out of the dying teen, staining Roxas's hands.

"Roxas," Sora rasped out, tasting copper in his mouth. He coughed lightly, wincing with blood-stained lips as blood dribbled out of one corner of his mouth.

"You can't die," Roxas said desperately. "Don't you dare die on me!"

"Roxas," the brunet said again, forcing the younger teen to face the reality—to stop denying the fact that Sora was dying in front of his eyes. "I love you. Know that I will always be with you." He raised a shaky hand to cup the crying teen's cheek and smiled weakly. Roxas grabbed hold of the hand and let out another sob.

"Know that… I will…" Sora closed his eyes for one last time, letting out his last breath as he finished his sentence, "always love you…"

The hand in Roxas's hands fell limp.

"Don't leave me," the blonde cried. "Sora, don't leave me!" He let go of the limp hand and shook Sora, tears streaming down his cheeks the entire time.

"Wake up!" he shouted. "Sora!"

"Ven…" Aqua said, trying to comfort her little brother by reaching out and placing one hand on his left shoulder.

"No!" he screamed, shaking off Aqua's hand. "He's not dead!" He shook the body again, but the teen he loved had already passed away. There was absolutely no response.

In desperation, he leaned down and brushed his lips against Sora's own to place a kiss upon his dead lover, mimicking the fairy tale notion that everyone should live happily ever after, that a single kiss would undo the tragedy that had befall upon them.

Sadly, this was no fairy tale; Sora's body simply continued to cool. Letting out a soft sob, Roxas pulled away from the corpse, letting tears fall down his cheeks and drop onto the unmoving body.

"Roxas…" Naminé said softly, kneeling down next to the distraught teen. "He's gone."

"You can't die..." the blond-haired boy uttered brokenly one last time before wailing in despair. Had he known that he would return to see Sora's death, he would've never left Kingdom Hearts in the first place.

The keening of Sora's Nobody echoed through the forest. There was none who didn't feel the deep sorrow within the cries, the heart-wrenching sadness of a boy who had regained his heart, only to have it ripped away so brutally as Xehanort had done that day.

The blue sky for which Sora had been named for had disappeared; no clouds, no sun, no moon, and no stars decorated the now pitch black sky. And somewhere in the End of the World, the door to the Heartless realm swung wide open, beckoned by the Nameless Key and the beating hearts of the denizens of a world plunged into Darkness.

The Light that once shined so brightly had dimmed; no one, not even Mickey Mouse, knew what the future held for them.

* * *

The perpetual sunset of Twilight Town was nowhere to be found under the bleak Darkness. A funeral was being held at Destiny Islands but two of the many people who should be there were not attending. Instead, Aqua had brought her little brother back to the family home in Twilight Town while the rest of their family were in Destiny Islands, taking refuge from the Heartless that had overran the majority of the world.

Terra had been opposed to letting his siblings go on their own, since Roxas was clearly not himself when Aqua suggested that she brought Roxas home. Even the Chasers were concerned with the blue-haired woman's decision, but she convinced them thoroughly by beating her older brother when Terra stepped in to stop her from leaving.

Twilight Town was a shell of her former glory ever since that fateful day that saw the return of Ventus the Youngest; many of her citizens, including the majority of the aristocrats that had lived in Sunset Hill, had left the city, taking refuge away from the enemy stronghold—the strip of land known as the End of the World.

Still, the army remained along with the royal family, who were kept in constant contact with the Chasers through the heir of the throne. Riku had checked on Aqua and Roxas on a daily basis since they left Destiny Islands, and was due to check in again that day during lunch.

Aqua hummed a soft childhood melody as she stirred the pot on the stove. A hearty stew of beef and vegetables simmered away under the woman's careful watch. Two loaves of bread were baking in the brick oven and a kettle of water hung over the open hearth.

A knock on the backdoor alerted her to the arrival of the expected visitor.

"Come in!" she said and Riku opened the door, dusting off the snow upon his coat. As it happened with everywhere else, snow continued to fall over Twilight Town, starting since that tragic day in Macalania.

"I brought some Paopu fruit from Destiny Islands," he said. "It's the last of the harvest before Snowfell."

Aqua stared wide-eyed at the prince. "Why did you…"

"Queen Shizune wanted Roxas to have them," he explained. "She hoped that it might remind him of happier days."

The blue-haired woman smiled melancholically. "He's still the same," she sighed, making one last stir before deeming the stew ready to be served. Riku helped her with the pot while she covered the open flame up with a lid over the stove. "Did I do the right thing, Riku?"

The silver-haired prince was silent as he ladled the stew into bowls. "I don't know," he finally answered. "Sora made the mistake of letting him go after his father died. But right now, this is something that no one can help him with. He has to come out of it on his own."

"But," Aqua bit her cheek in indecision before continuing, "He's never had to deal with this time of turmoil of the heart before."

"He's strong, Aqua," Riku reassured. "He'll find his way. He has to."

Above them, the subject of their discussion heard none of the concerned words.

Sitting on the bed with one leg bent towards his chest and the other lying flat, Roxas stared unseeingly at the carpeted floor. The window had been left opened by Aqua to let air in and the cold air did eventually enter, but Roxas made no movement to close the window when the temperature of his room plummeted dangerously cold.

All he did was sit.

In his arms was the bloodied jacket that Sora had been wearing the day he died. Had they not left the jacket to the catatonic blonde, they would've never been able to prepare Sora's body for burial; a surprising fact since Roxas seemed unaware of his surroundings ever since he stopped crying over the brunet's dead body.

The only sign of life from the blonde was the gradual moving of his chest, showing that the teen was indeed breathing.

_ "By the gods, Roxas. How could you live in this freezing room?"_ Sora's voice asked him. The ghostly image of Sora appeared and faded in the room as it moved around. The yellow-haired teen didn't even notice him.

_"You know. If you weren't so cold, you probably wouldn't be hallucinating,"_ the brunet ghost joked.

_"Honestly, what are we going to do with you?"_ he continued with a haunting sigh, balling his hands into fists and placing them on his hips as he shook his head at Roxas.

A knock on the door went unheeded before Aqua opened the door, shivering at the frigid temperature. The image of Sora shimmered before disappearing completely as the newcomer stepped through him, never seeing the ghost haunting her brother. Riku immediately went to tend to the small furnace within the room while the blue-haired woman set the tray with stew down on the desk, closing the window before bringing the tray over to Roxas on the bed.

"Ven," she said softly. "Time to eat."

Roxas lifted his head in acknowledgment, but made no eye contact with his sister or Riku. Like a baby, he simply ate whatever was being fed to him, eating spoonful after spoonful of the hearty stew that Aqua made. Once done, Aqua dabbed the corners of his mouth with a napkin, trying hard not to cry at the state that her brother was in. She has endured it for over two weeks now and she will continue to do so for his sake, knowing perfectly well that he needs her right now.

Riku finished his meal and unwrapped the cloth package containing the last of Destiny Islands' treasured fruit. The three pristine star-shaped fruits sat gleaming under the candlelight, a reminder of better days. Aqua, who had only ever heard of the fruit from her brother when she asked him about Destiny Islands, smiled happily at the sight.

It would appear that Queen Shizune was wise to have Riku bring the Paopu fruits to Roxas, for the blonde moved voluntarily upon seeing the fruits. As he reached for the nearest Paopu fruit, both Riku and Aqua stared, jaw dropped, at the teen.

He stopped just short of taking the fruit when he saw the ghostly image of Sora smiling back at him.

_"You haven't lost me, you hear?"_ the image laughed before fading away.

Tears blurred his vision before falling down. He looked down at the star-shaped fruit, cradling it in his hands lovingly. The Paopu fruit meant so much to the blonde, reminding him of Sora's smiles and his jovial nature.

"Sora," he whispered, cradling the fruit to his heart while letting go of Sora's jacket. He wiped away his tears and sniffled, laughing unexpectedly before taking a bite of the sweet fruit. He laughed again after he swallowed the first bite, continuing until he finished the fruit.

"Ven," Aqua uttered in mild disbelief, her heart soaring to see the lucid blue depths within Roxas's eyes swirling with emotions, not hollow and flat as they had been for the past two weeks.

"I've worried you, Aqua. I'm sorry," Roxas apologized remorsefully.

Aqua chuckled softly. "I'm just glad that you're alright." She hugged him briefly and pulled away.

"I have been a fool," the blonde admitted frankly. "I haven't lost Sora at all. He's been here with me this entire time." He covered his heart with one hand lovingly. "Xehanort might have taken Sora from me," he continued softly. "He might have covered this world in Darkness, but he will never destroy the light within my heart, within all our hearts."

Both Aqua and Riku smiled encouragingly at the words.

"You're right," agreed Riku. "Xehanort will never destroy the Light."

"He's made his first move," continued Aqua. "He'll come to regret his decision."

Roxas nodded with determination. "We'll finish this once and for all. We have to save everyone who's stuck on Kingdom Hearts. I have to save Sora."

* * *

The moment Sora opened his eyes, he knew where he was. After all, he was killed by the same man who had murdered his father.

His father's haggard face had been hovering over him before the man backed off to let Sora sit up. The teen looked around, finding himself back in the same bedroom where he had spent the last night with Roxas on Kingdom Hearts. Besides his father, Stella and Marlene were by his bedside, watching him worriedly. Ventus was surprisingly not there. His forlorn eyes fell upon his father, noting the bloodshot eyes from crying at the fate of his own son.

"Welcome back, Sora," Noctis said gruffly, his voice coarse from the emotions that he tried to keep at bay. He looked away as another wave of tears blurred his eyes, quietly sobbing. Marlene, on the other hand, cried out loud as she embraced the brown-haired teen.

"Roxas is all alone now, isn't he?" she sobbed. "Why did this happen?"

"Roxas isn't alone, Marlene," Stella tried to soothe the little girl. "Terra and Aqua are still with him."

"But he doesn't have me or Sora!" the child responded, resuming crying noisily. Sora could only return Marlene's embrace solemnly, patting the girl on the back when she started hiccupping. He looked at Stella with the same forlorn look he gave his father.

"Where's Ventus?" he asked, bewildered by the fact that the one who was at the heart of all of this wasn't in the room.

"He stepped out for a minute," she answered.

"He knew, didn't he?" Sora queried. "He knew that I would die to Xehanort. That's why he sent Roxas back. It's because he needed someone to complete the prophecy."

"Yes, I did," Ventus sighed as he stepped back into the room, looking very different than the last time Sora had seen him. Whereas the Ventus he had met in Twilight Town looked emaciated and completely drained by his solitude in the darkness, the Ventus that stands before him looked eerily like Roxas, the only difference he could tell was the height of the man and the fact that Ventus's eyes seem to hold infinite sadness, forever swimming with emotions he tried to keep bottled within.

"The Nameless Key had to be removed from you in order to completely sever the link that remains between our world and the realm of the Heartless. Even if you were to be exiled to the Heartless realm, the doorway will not be completely closed because you do not belong in the realm of the Heartless. You knew you had to die when you learned about it, didn't you?" Ventus continued.

"Why send Roxas back then?" Sora retorted angrily. "Do you know how much you're asking of him? He has suffered all his life and now you're just pushing this responsibility onto him when… when… I can't even be there for him…" he trailed off melancholically, burying his face into Marlene's shoulder as he sobbed for Roxas's misfortunes.

"I'm sorry," the first king of Destiny Islands apologized remorsefully. "I know it's hard, but I've come too far to let Xehanort win."

"So you send Roxas back for your personal vendetta?" the distraught brunet shot back bitterly.

"No!" Ventus immediately replied, his eyes wild with anxiety. "I had to send him back to save our world. We took it upon ourselves to protect our world from the Darkness. Every single one of our descendants have taken up our goals as well, regardless whether they knew it or not. Surely you understand the reason. You are the king of Destiny Islands!"

"I was," Sora returned hotly, but he knew what Ventus said was true. He understood the desire to protect his people. Even though his mother was a wise ruler, she was just as vulnerable as the rest of her subjects to the Heartless horde without the power of Light that the blood descendants of the Three wielded. If his mother didn't have him to rely upon, he could only hope that Roxas will rule in his stead.

He looked up at Ventus to find the pale-haired man silent, as if waiting for Sora to continue venting his anger and frustrations.

"Tell me what's going to happen," he said instead, determined to find out everything that his ancestor knew.

"Does it matter?" Ventus queried. "You won't be directly involved in the final fight."

"I don't care," the brunet hissed. "Too many truths have been kept from me, kept from the people who are to fight for you!"

"Would you have attempted to prevent things from happening had you known?" he returned, "even though those things are supposed to happen for the finale to occur? Not everything can end happily for us, Sora. Some concessions must be made for the greater good of our world."

"Sounds like you're evading my question," murmured Sora.

The youngest of the original Three sighed with annoyance at his descendant's stubbornness. "When Roxas engages Xehanort in the realm of the Heartless, the Nameless Key will be vanquished with Lost Memory. The magical Keyblades of our world cannot destroy the Nameless Key because they lack one component."

"Magicite," interjected Sora. Ventus smiled slightly at the teen's knowledge.

"Yes. The skeleton of the Nameless Key is Magicite, strengthened by the essence of the Heartless. Magicite, due to the nature of the world it comes from, is naturally corrupted. But when it is cleansed of the Darkness, it becomes a conduit for Light. It is only with Lost Memory that we will be able to rid the Heartless realm of the Darkness and restore Iifa."

"Iifa?" the teen asked, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.

"It's the original name of the Heartless realm before the Darkness corrupted it and it became Chernabog."

"How do you know?" frowned Stella. It was the first time she's ever heard of the original name of the world that Kingdom Hearts hovered over.

"I've seen it inside Chernabog when it took my siblings and me here," Ventus answered truthfully. "Once the corruption is gone from _this_ world, then we can close the door between our worlds completely."

"How is that done?" Sora asked, setting Marlene down onto the bed when the little girl cried herself to sleep even though she should've been particularly interested in Ventus's words pertaining to Roxas's fate; after all, he was her unofficially adopted brother.

"The door between both worlds has to be closed on both sides. The Lost Memory will do so in this world while the magical Keyblades of our world will close it on the other side. When that happens, everything will be returned to their rightful order."

"But wouldn't Roxas be stuck in the world of the Heartless when that happens?" Stella asked immediately, naturally ending with the conclusion if her brother were to battle against Xehanort in the realm of the Heartless.

Ventus shook his head. "The doorway will take a long time to close and completely lock because of the length of time that our worlds have been connected. Roxas will be able to return to our world in time. You don't need to worry."

"But how can the doorway be closed without someone there to lock it?" frowned Sora.

"The Keyblades know what to do. You've seen the Kingdom Key when it released me."

"What if there are still Heartless in our world when the door closes? Wouldn't that keep the connection between our worlds open?" asked the silver-haired woman. Sora blinked deliberately at the question, didn't realize that might happen when the time comes.

"Heartless are remnants," Ventus explained. "The phenomenon of Heartless can occur in every world."

"Then you mean there'll still be Heartless in our world? I thought-" Sora stopped short when the ancient man raised a hand to stop him.

"If you would let me finish my explanation," he smiled. "While Heartless can exist in every world, it will only happen if the world gives into Darkness. The reason why we've had Heartless in our world is because Xehanort had established a connection between ours and Iifa. The Darkness that had covered Iifa thus entered into ours. However, Heartless cannot exist solo; a large group of people must give into the Darkness for the Heartless to rise up again. Furthermore, the Heartless is irrevocably linked to the state of the world. Unless some great catastrophe throws our world into Darkness, the Heartless will not exist."

"And even then, as long as there is hope, and therefore Light, within the hearts of those who remained, the Darkness would only have a tentative hold on the world, right?" asked Stella.

Ventus nodded in affirmative.

Sora scrunched up his face in deep thought, trying to comprehend the entire connection between the Heartless and the worlds. He had never thought there was such a connection; always believing that the Heartless was simply invaders of their world.

He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it quickly when he couldn't find the words. The expression was not lost to his ancestor.

"Question, Sora?" Ventus asked with an amused smile upon his face. Sora tried to find the right question that might help him understand it better, but in the end, chose to give it up.

He shook his head silently a few seconds later. "I don't exactly understand everything," he confessed, pausing slightly before voicing the question he had been wondering ever since he contemplated his own death.

"Are we simply to wait for the day when we'd pass into the Promised Land?" he asked. "Is there nothing we can do to help our friends?"

Ventus the Youngest laughed as he turned to leave the room. "Don't worry, Sora. Xehanort will know the wrath of all those who are on Kingdom Hearts when the time comes. You will be able to take your revenge upon our common enemy."

With that, Sora could only wonder what the man meant by that as he watched Ventus's retreating back disappear around the corner.

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: Ack, I know, I know. I'm terrible for killing Sora, but I had to do it for the finale. And trust me when I say that the ending isn't as tragic as the story implies right now. The next chapter will be the final numbered chapter of this fanfic, and then it will be the epilogue. I will confess that I've already written the epilogue but still fleshing out the final chapter. Based on the "shortness" of this chapter, I have a feeling that it will be a lengthy last chapter. Still so many things I need to wrap up in the last chapter, eep._

_As per usual, there are references in this chapter. The title "Tears of Light" is from a song in the KH:BBS & 358/2 Days official soundtrack. It is a song in the BBS game to be specific. Eiko is a character from Final Fantasy IX. I know she is six years old in FFIX, but I like her too much to not include her in this fanfic, haha. Ran is a reference to Fujimiya Ran from the anime _Weiβ Kreuz_; he's known as Fujimiya Aya in the anime, but his real name is actually Ran._

_So, I'm nitpicking myself. But I've found discrepancies in this fanfic as I reread some of the older chapters. I will admit that I didn't bother fixing the discrepancies because it would just mess up the narrative. But please, do point out my mistakes if you see them. Otherwise I won't be able to present better fics in the future._

_In any case, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave a review. I will probably come up with some ficlets between now and the final numbered chapter of this fanfic. So if you wish to get an update on my progress, look for updates to_ Beautiful Blue._ Thanks for your support and patience._


	25. Nascent Requiem

_To reviewers of chapter 23 and others:_

_DarkBombayAngel: Thanks. Here's the next chapter._

_Negative-Girl: It is rather obvious that Sora was going to die, right? Haha. Thanks for your compliments._

_posideon49: No problem. I'm just glad you like the story._

_Konata15: Thanks for the review. To answer your question, Nobodies are trained in everything involving their Somebodies: protection and shadowing is their main priority, but they would have been trained to pleasure their Somebodies as well, albeit it's not emphasized as much. As for the relationship between Riku, Kairi, and Naminé, I might explore it in a sidestory after this story is completed since it's so close to the end. I will have to say that their backstory started months before Sora met Roxas._

_crazylady73196: I'm glad you like the story. Of course Sora and Roxas will have a happy ending, at least as far as happy endings go, hehe._

_KanaPetrsr323: Thank you for the reviews. I find that being descriptive about everything makes it easier to visualize what I see too. Unfortunately (well, not really), it has the effect of making my stories long. But, at least it's not boring prose, or I'd slap myself, XD._

_Sylver: Oh, I didn't forget. I had full intentions to complete this fic. It's just taken a lot longer than I wanted to, ack._

_Chelsea619: Well, here's the update. Hope you didn't "die" too much waiting to find out what happens in the end, haha._

_Sayuri-Suzuki95: Thanks for all the reviews. I hope you'll enjoy this one too._

* * *

_Recap: When Sora started his world tour, he never thought the world's future would depend on his successes and failures against the Heartless. His brief time in the realm of the Heartless only further impressed the importance of his triumphs over the army of Darkness led by Xehanort. Yet, it was with his death in Macalania that signaled the beginning of the end for this centuries' old conflict. Now, it was up to Roxas to find his way and finish what Sora started, fulfilling his deceased Somebody's destiny. The end is near. Is Roxas ready for it?_

* * *

**Chapter 24 – Nascent Requiem**

* * *

It took them no longer than an hour to pack up their things and leave the family home.

As they began heading towards the underground passage leading to Twilight Town Proper, Aqua couldn't help but stop and look back at the three-storied building; the dirty beige stucco that once covered the entirety of the building was chipped away by rain and snow, exposing the orange bricks underneath.

She remembered her father talking for years about restoring the exterior of the house, but never managed to carry out his plans. He simply wasn't able to recreate the ancient stucco. Not to mention he would never have been able to capture the years of dirt and grime that accumulated within the cracks of the stuccoed wall, which added to the reverent aura the house emanated.

"Aqua?" Roxas called out to his sister when he didn't hear her footsteps behind him. He turned and approached her, watching with concern while noting the distant look in her sapphire blue eyes as she lost herself in the memories of her life. "Are you alright?"

Her eyes refocused on the building in front of her, but she didn't turn to regard her brother. "Just remembering," she answered. "I have a feeling that this will be the last time I see this house."

"It's okay though," she continued, finally turning to look at Roxas in the eye. "Even though the house might be gone, I still have the memories in my heart.

She smiled fondly at the old house. "As long as we have these memories, we can rebuild our house."

"Home is where the heart is, after all," Riku interjected with a grin. Aqua laughed before slapping him on his shoulder playfully.

"So clichéd," she laughed.

"But so true," Roxas pointed out with a smile.

"So it is," Aqua nodded in agreement. She allowed herself another moment to look at the house before she turned in the direction of Twilight Town Proper. "Come on, let's get going."

* * *

It was a quiet trip through the Underground Walkway to the town square. The Twilight Town army had corralled the rest of the citizens who wished to remain with their beloved nation to the royal castle deep within the Old Forest. And it was within the Old Forest that the soldiers trained, patrolled, and steeled themselves from the inevitable invasion from the horde of Darkness.

There was nothing else to do but to wait.

As the trio exited the underground path, they looked about the empty metropolis with a mix of sadness and caution.

"You know, I never noticed how empty Twilight Town is now," Riku commented before he continued on the way back to the castle.

"Just another battle the Heartless have won," Aqua sighed. The silver-haired prince frowned.

"You're right," he said. "The fact that we've had to change our way of life to prepare for the future battles…"

"But at least people will still live," Roxas argued with a shake of his head. "This might be just a small win for the Heartless, but it's only temporary. Fear of the Heartless won't last forever. Until the Darkness has swallowed our world, this war is not over. When we win, people will come back and this place will be as busy as it has ever been."

Aqua smiled at her brother's explanation. He was right; they had to stay optimistic in this time of deepening darkness. If they didn't, then the Darkness has already won.

"Let's keep going," Riku said.

"Yeah," the blue-haired woman nodded.

They continued on through the Town Center, abandoned shops and empty houses met their sight wherever their eyes went. Still, they had faith that Light will triumph over Darkness and they will reclaim this world that teetered on the edge of oblivion.

They had just passed underneath one of the several bridges linking Twilight Town's many buildings when they came to a stop, their ears picking up a shrill whistling in the air.

"What's that sound?" Aqua asked, knitting her brows as she tried to figure out the source of the sound.

Roxas turned his eyes upward and searched the skies, looking for anything out of the ordinary. His ice blue eyes widened with surprise at the sight of a red glowing object headed straight for them at a high speed.

"Get down!" he cried, pushing Aqua down onto the ground. The flaming object crashed into the bridge they had just passed, sending debris to fall onto the pathway underneath. As soon as the dust settled, the blonde quickly jumped up, pulling his sister up with him.

"Move, move!" he urged quickly, driving Riku and Aqua towards the unguarded gate to the Old Forest. Another fireball crashed into a building to their left, creating a hole within the wall while bits and pieces of broken brick and concrete fell onto the path.

The whistles continued as fireballs rained down upon the empty town. Roxas dared a glance behind him, frowning at the trail of destruction where they had passed. Was it a coincidence that all the damages appear to occur around them?

He stopped at the gilded gates leading into the Old Forest and sharply turned, summoning Lost Memory and Sora's Ultima Weapon as he did so. Holding the Lost Memory Keyblade in a backward manner, the blonde waved his arms about in a circular motion and spun around twice as a fireball came crashing down toward him. He deflected the path of the fireball and sent it back where it came from.

His ears twitched as they picked up the sounds of rapid footsteps. He frowned with narrowed eyes at the appearance of a legion of Midgarian soldiers marching towards them.

"Riku, go tell your soldiers," Aqua said to the younger teen as she summoned the Oathkeeper and joined her brother at the gateway. "They have to know!"

"Right," the prince said, mildly torn between duty to his country and the desire to protect his friends. While he knew that both were capable fighters, he couldn't help but worry for them even as he ran deeper into the forest to notify his family and subjects.

"Kill them!" bellowed the leader of the soldiers. His troops let out a battle cry and readied their own weapons for battle.

"May you find peace in the Promised Land," Aqua said softly. He took a brief glance at the blue-haired woman, giving her a reassuring smile as she nodded grimly in understanding.

Without another word, Aqua and Roxas quickly engaged their enemies in the open plaza in front of unguarded gate. Their Keyblades hummed proudly in the air as they cut through ranks of enemies, felling foes left and right at the two Keyblade wielders' feet.

The leader of the foolish legion was the first to fall, an expression of utter shock upon his face as the man fell onto the ground. He had clearly underestimated the capabilities of the blue-haired woman when she struck him down in one blow.

As more men fell under the wrath of the two superior fighters, the remaining few paused in their decision to continue the thoughtless assault and dropped their weapons, running back in the direction they had marched from.

"Seems too few to carry out an invasion," Aqua frowned, watching the cowards run away like chickens with their heads cut off.

"Midgar probably sent them to confirm that Twilight Town would be easy pickings," Roxas commented, breathing a brief sigh when the rain of fire ceased. Yet, the damage was done as buildings collapsed and continued burning throughout the Town Proper.

"Think Xehanort's with them?" she asked.

"I don't know, Aqua. I don't know." He turned around to look at the Old Forest, largely untouched by the rain of fire. But he knew that it was only a matter of time before the enemy returned with greater forces to take the palace.

* * *

The ground shook underneath their feet as the artillery barrage resumed upon the abandoned metropolis.

From the balcony in his room, Riku watched with anger, frustration, and a hint of despair at the destruction of his beloved town. Red, orange, and brown bricked buildings burned amongst the widespread devastation of the town. Not even the grand clock tower was safe from the barrage as smoke billowed into the cloud-covered sky from the holes that riddled the orange-colored building.

Over the thunderous booms, he could barely make out the barbaric war song being belted in a drunken fashion. His heart ached as the proud flag of Twilight Town was torn down from the top of the clock tower, replaced by the grotesque version of the Midgarian flag under the joint rule of Heidegger and Scarlet.

His country was getting defiled and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Riku," his mother's voice came as she stepped into the room looking for her son. "Coral is here. Time for you to go."

The silver-haired teen didn't even turn to look at his mother.

Quietly, the blond-haired queen approached her son and held him gently while resting her chin on his shoulder. She looked at the same scenery that her son was looking at with equal melancholy, but a hope lingered within, fueled by the knowledge that as long as her people lived, her kingdom was not lost.

Her son seemed to have a different belief.

"Was it alright to let them take the town without opposition?" Riku asked grimly, his eyes never straying from the destruction that continued. "We should have at least attempted to save our capital."

"There is no point to let good men die so needlessly, Riku," answered the queen soothingly, raising one hand to caress his silvery hair. "Would you let your soldiers die if death is guaranteed while success is impossible?"

There was a time when she missed the brilliant golden hair upon her son's head, the yellow hue reminding her of the bright yellow sun that graced the skies of Trabia when she had attended the academy there. Now, the silvery-blue hue of her son's hair reflected the white moon that graced the skies of Twilight Town on an annual basis, the focal point of their autumnal festival.

"But remaining in the forest doesn't mean we can hold them off either!" Riku exclaimed, whipping around to look at his mother, her violet eyes boring into his aqua blue with curiosity. "We have barely ten thousand men in the castle and the forest around us while they have perhaps ten times, maybe even 100 times the numbers we do!"

To his surprise, the queen smiled. "Listen to what you've just said, my son," she caressed the side of his face with the back of her fingers. "That is exactly the reason why we cannot face our enemies directly. Being in the forest gives us an advantage that our enemy doesn't have. Our men know all the secrets of the forest; they do not.

"Besides," she faced the township, leaning against the granite railing that bordered the balcony, "all we would be doing is delaying our enemies."

Riku's eyes widened in alarm. "What?" He grasped onto his mother's shoulders to turn her towards him, searching her face for answers. "What do you mean by that?"

"While the enemy focuses its attention on Twilight Town, you and your friends will go to the End of the World and put an end to all of this. Even if Twilight Town falls, Radiant Garden and Destiny Islands will stand against Xehanort's allies. We can no longer remain on the defensive, Riku. We have to fight back before all is lost."

"How do we know that Xehanort wouldn't be the one leading the enemy forces?"

"He knows he can't stay away from the doorway now," his mother answered with a soft smile. "The fact that Roxas is back without Ventus tells him that at least Ventus the Youngest knows how to permanently sever the link; he will do everything in his power to keep these two worlds connected."

"So it's a race against time, huh?" sighed Riku.

"Of course," smiled his mother. "Now, go join Aqua and Roxas in the throne room. It's time for you to begin the final leg of your quest."

"Stay safe, mom," the teen embraced his mother tightly.

"Don't worry, Riku," the queen only answered, returning the embrace lovingly. She gave him another smile and watched him run out of the room to his destination. The smile fell from her face as she turned to look at the conflagration of her city.

Closing her eyes and lowering her head, she covered her heart with her hands to pray. "Forgive me, my lord Terranu," she whispered mournfully. "I could not save your kingdom."

* * *

"We'll be leaving within the next day or two," Coral said as she led the three newly arrived through the busy castle of Destiny Islands. Throughout the main island, the usual bustle and hustle was replaced with a sense of emergency; windows were boarded up, rationed foods were handed out by the servants of the castle, weapons were stockpiled near the gate should a citizen of the Islands require arms to protect his or her own family.

They entered into the throne room, where Queen Shizune sat upon the only throne at the other end of the room—Sora's own personal chair had been removed with his death. Roxas stopped just beyond the threshold, frozen with guilt when his eyes discovered the haggard look upon the aging queen's face.

The once brilliant raven hair of the queen streaked with gray was flat and dry, no longer shining even under the flickering lights of the chandelier. The lines at the corners of her eyes and lips seemed deeper and more numerous than the last time he remembered truly seeing her, before Sora sent him to Twilight Town. Her amethyst eyes shone with grief in losing her husband and her son in less than six months. Even she wondered if she was having a nightmare at times, that when she wakes up, Noctis would laugh at her for her wild imagination and Sora would share the same sentiment, but try not to laugh out of love for his mother.

The guilt of his failure gnawed within Roxas but the old queen seemed not to notice as the captain of her guards continued his report.

"Roxas?" Aqua asked, looking at her brother with confusion; the blonde did not respond.

At that exact moment, Queen Shizune took her eyes off of her captain and onto the pale-haired boy that had been her son's shadow. She gasped at seeing him and quickly stood up from the throne, making her way to the clearly distraught teen.

The boy's face flushed red when the queen embraced him tightly, crushing him against her own bosom. He didn't dare return the embrace in public, reminding himself that he will remain Sora's Nobody until the day when Queen Shizune formally announces him as Sora's heir.

"I'm glad you're okay," she said to him. "I know you did your best to protect my son."

"I was rash, your Majesty," Roxas immediately replied, just as softly as the queen. "My lapse in judgment allowed Xehanort to-"

"I know you love him, Roxas," she whispered, "just as much as he loved you." She pulled away to look at him again, her eyes reflecting the sorrows she shared with Roxas in their mutual loss. "That's why you are so hard on yourself."

The teen looked downward to hide his tears while Queen Shizune simply watched, unable to cry after weeks of tears between the deaths of her loved ones. "When I married Noctis," she said softly to him, "we had always believed that one of Ventus's line will eventually die without an heir, ending this curse."

The blonde looked up at the woman in surprise. He hadn't expected Sora's mother to come to the same conclusion as the Chasers; since she wasn't a direct descendant of the Three, she would have no part in the finale after all.

"We were too naïve," she sighed, shaking her head in bitterness. "We never believed that the Nameless Key would only be free to spread terror through our world. Now that we know, was Sora's death all in vain?"

"His death wasn't in vain," Coral interjected, the stony expression upon her face masking the turbulent emotions within. "We knew the Key had to be freed in order for us to force it back to the place it originated from. We simply didn't know how… at least, not in a way that would ensure Sora's survival." The green-haired Chaser swallowed down a lump in her throat, willing herself to remain composed. "Sora's death only marked the beginning of the end of the era of the Heartless."

"And it was Xehanort who caused it," remarked Aqua. "I guess he didn't realize that if he had let Sora live, the Heartless would still remain, huh?"

"I'm sure he knew," frowned the Chaser, "he wouldn't do something without knowing the consequences. He probably believes that he will be able to defeat us with the Nameless Key."

"He's forgotten one thing, though," Roxas said, wiping away the tears that had left a trail on his cheeks. There was a passion that brought a smile to both Coral and Shizune's faces. "Our power comes from our friends, from our unified hearts. He can have all the power he wants, but there is only so much he can attain on his own. Together, we can defeat him."

"Exactly," nodded Riku.

"It's a lonely place at the top," murmured Aqua. "So pitiful."

"I don't think Xehanort would appreciate our pities, Aqua," grinned the silver-haired prince.

"Not that he appreciates much of anything, right?" she retorted, rolling her eyes playfully. It was enough to dispel the nervous tensions they all felt in this oppressive time. Even those who only observed the entire exchange felt lighter; they had almost forgotten the Light, so worried were they of the Darkness.

"Well," smiled Shizune—the lines on her face had faded slightly with the brief cheer. "You'll find the others in the garden pavilion, making last minute preparations."

"Thank you, your Majesty," Coral said with a curtsy. "I take my leave." She didn't wait for the others before she left to join the rest of her life-long comrades.

"Roxas," the queen called to the yellow-haired teen, staying him briefly. Aqua waited at the entryway patiently; she wasn't about to let her brother out of her sight, even though they were in friendly territory.

"Yes, your Majesty?" Roxas looked at her with curiosity.

"I have a request," she began before shaking her head. "But it can wait until this is all over."

"And I will return, your Majesty," the teen promised solemnly, understanding the unspoken request. "You have my word."

Shizune smiled in relief. "Thank you, Roxas."

"Your Majesty," Roxas bowed crisply before retreating out of the room. He gave his sister a brief smile and followed her towards the pavilion.

* * *

"Hyah!" Kairi shouted as she slashed downward with a wooden sword. A loud thud sounded when the two wooden weapons came into contact.

"Again!" Pan commanded, watching with sharp eyes as the two combatants separated.

Surprisingly, the red-haired Chaser escaped the crash with no major injuries besides a broken arm and a broken clavicle. The major concern Aerith had for him stemmed from the knowledge that he had managed to hit his head so hard that he was unconscious when she first saw him and Rocky after the crash.

Though the Macalanian queen had instructed him to remain in bed for at least a week, the Chaser was defiant. As such, Aerith placed his neck in a brace to keep him from moving his head too much.

With his broken arm in a splint and a sling, Pan watched his "students" carefully, trying his best to not think about his comrade who remained behind in Macalania.

Rocky, who suffered the more severe injuries than his lankier comrade and friend, was forced to remain in bed until Aerith could verify that his internal injuries were finally healed—predicted to take several months. His injuries were so severe that Aerith was surprised to see him wake before his friends left Sierra's crash site. Like Zephyr, the burly Chaser was in no shape to fight at all.

But how long do they even have? How much longer could they afford to delay their final journey to the heart of the Darkness before Twilight Town fell to Xehanort? Could they even wait for Pan's clavicle to heal when he has at least another month of healing to go? Even more so, could they even wait for Roxas to regain his senses after losing Sora in such a gut-wrenching way?

They were running out of time; they all knew it. It wouldn't be long before Twilight Town was overrun. Their allies were dwindling as the Darkness grew darker with each passing day. And they know Xehanort knew too.

Not to mention the single question that lurked in the back of all their minds: Would they even be able to fight against Xehanort at his full strength?

And what of the fate of the three Chasers who cannot help their friends? The knowledge that he wouldn't be able to do anything frightened Pan. The prospect of being left behind awaiting the moment when he would finally pass from this world seemed almost incomprehensible. They all knew the day would come when they will finally rest, but not knowing how long he had before the end scared him. He would much prefer to face Death straight on rather than have it creep up on him suddenly despite having lived for centuries.

Pan chose to speak none of his insecurities, knowing that there were no answers to his questions. Instead, he pressed his lips together tighter and continued to help Kairi and Terra, who were the least seasoned fighters out of all of them.

"Aqua! Ven!" exclaimed Terra, his attention on his training temporarily broken before Kairi's wooden sword came down on his padded head. "Ow!"

"That's what you get for getting distracted," Pan said coolly, a hint of a smile on his otherwise stoic face. He turned towards the doorway and was equally surprised by their arrival.

Deliberately ignoring Pan's admonishment, Terra pulled off the padded headgear and ran over to his siblings, bear hugging them with concern.

"You didn't tell them we were coming?" Roxas looked at Riku with surprise, who only shrugged nonchalantly with a smirk on his face. Likewise, Coral only smiled in response.

"Ugh, Terra," Aqua wrinkled her nose in distaste before pulling away, pinching her nose while fanning her free hand at him. "You're sweaty and you stink."

Kairi laughed as she pulled off her own padded helmet. "That's what happens when you've been training for the better part of the last four hours," she said, leaving Riku's side to hug Roxas with a smile on her face. "I'm glad you found your way back, Roxas."

"Thanks, Kairi," Roxas replied with a weak smile. "I know how close you and Sora were."

"I have my memories of Sora to keep me company," she smiled thoughtfully. "Sora wouldn't have wanted us to dwell on his death too long."

"And I was a fool to do the exact opposite," he said sheepishly.

The princess of Radiant Garden giggled as she shook her head. "You grew a lot closer to Sora than you thought possible," she said.

"That's the reason why you were so affected," added Naminé with a small smile.

"Hey, Terra," said Aqua as she looked about the pavilion. "Where are Mom and Dad?"

"They went with Penelo, Relm, and the majority of the elderly to Besaid Islands," he answered.

"Besaid?" the blue-haired woman cocked her head to one side with curiosity.

"It's a lesser known territory of Destiny Islands," Roxas answered instead. "About a day to the west of the main island where we are right now."

Kairi nodded in agreement. "It's a better place to be than the rest of the world right now," she added.

"How is Penelo taking all of this anyway?" Aqua asked with concern, realizing for the first time that she hadn't spoken to her sister-in-law since that day when they discovered their destinies as descendants of the Three.

"As well as a mother can take, I guess," Terra answered with a shrug. "I think she fancies being in Destiny Islands. Don't be surprised if she decides to stay here once this is all over."

"It's probably for the best," Aqua said softly, smiling painfully at Terra before continuing, "Twilight Town was under attack at the time of our departure."

The eldest of the three Averias gasped disconcertingly, his eyes wide with fear.

"Twilight Town Proper was in ruins by the time we left," she continued sadly.

"And the Forest?" he asked grimly.

"Safe," replied Riku, his eyes darkened into a deep blue. "For now anyway. We have, what, one week? Two weeks?" He sighed in a brief pause. "All I can do right now is to have faith that the proud men and women will be able to protect my kingdom and my family until we complete our quest."

"And that means back to training for you two," Pan said bluntly. Kairi smiled while Terra snorted with a nod as both combatants put their headgear back on.

"Where's Mickey?" Riku asked as he leaned against the wall near the weapon rack to observe the training.

"He left shortly after you went to Twilight Town," Pan answered simply. "He'll be back early tomorrow morning."

"Who went with him?"

"Ceres," he replied. "When they return tomorrow, we'll be leaving Destiny Islands."

"Our last journey is finally here, huh," Terra remarked absentmindedly as he secured the protective headgear.

"You should be glad," smirked Pan. "No more training with me."

"Time for the Chasers to move on," Coral said, a hint of melancholy echoed within her voice.

"We've been here for far too long, Coral," her friend commented, trying to express understanding of her emotional plight though he had lost his appreciation of living a life since the original war.

"I know," the green-haired girl answered.

"You'll be able to see your family again, right?" suggested Aqua. "You wouldn't be isolated like you have been for all these centuries."

"You would even be able to see Ventus the Youngest again," Roxas added.

"Ah," the Chaser only replied nonchalantly, her distant eyes telling the others to leave her alone.

As Terra and Kairi prepared for another round of training, Roxas looked over at Aqua, who nodded in agreement with her brother's silent suggestion. "Mind if we join you?" the blue-haired woman asked.

"Suit up then," Pan answered, nodding towards the racks where more protective gears and practice weapons sat. "No Keyblades," he warned.

"At least not for now, right?" Aqua asked cheerfully.

"Right," nodded the red-haired Chaser.

* * *

Although Destiny Islands was still in a time of mourning, Queen Shizune refused to let the melancholy settle upon her people. She understood the importance of keeping hope as the Darkness deepened throughout the realm.

With the return of Roxas, she called for a sudden open house of the castle, rewarding the hardworking men and women of her kingdom with a moderately sized feast and a brief moment of her time whosoever desired it.

Though the queen of Destiny Islands was by no means his responsibility—especially with Sora's death, Roxas couldn't help but feel an obligation to guard the well-protected woman. It was with this strong belief in his heart that he trailed after the busy woman along with her entourage of ladies-in-waiting through the crowd of peasants and soldiers who partook in this festive feast.

On more than one occasion, he noted the exhaustion that had begun to show itself in her movements, but Queen Shizune continued on stubbornly, a trait shared with her deceased son and husband.

"Your Majesty," Roxas finally spoke up after the queen had met with yet another family, accepting their thanks and exultations of the strengthening of their mutual homes under the guidance of the queen. The tired woman and her ladies-in-waiting all looked at him with equal surprise; none had expected the former Nobody to actually say something in public. "You should retire," he suggested, a light frown upon his otherwise expressionless face.

Queen Shizune smiled tiredly at the blond-haired teen, "Thank you for your concern, Roxas. But there are still many people I have to greet."

"It would do Destiny Islands no good if you overtire yourself," the Nobody reasoned quietly. "Your people are important, but you are just as important to your people. They will need you at your strongest when the enemies come."

"I understand your concern, my child," she smiled reassuringly, "but who will soothe the fears of my peoples if not me?"

"I will," he immediately answered, much to the surprise of everyone in earshot. He approached her and knelt down in front of her to prove his sincerity. "Sora is dead, but I have to protect his legacy. I have to—no, I want to protect Destiny Islands. Though the people might still see me as their king's servant, I will not let that stop me from helping them."

Queen Shizune looked into his eyes for a brief silent moment, her smile widening in understanding. "I see," she replied. "I realize that I won't be able to dissuade you from your goal. I shall leave my people in your hands for tonight." She gestured for him to rise and embraced him warmly.

"I can see my son in you," she whispered to him. "Thank you."

She took off the pendant bearing the symbol of Destiny Islands and put it upon the yellow-haired teen, who looked down on the heirloom with reverence. "This pendant is the symbol of Destiny Islands' royalty," she said cheerfully. "Know that we have faith in you and the others."

Roxas nodded quietly with a small smile upon his face. He gave a curt bow to the queen and quickly made his way through the crowd to reach the stage where Queen Shizune's unoccupied throne sat. He turned to scan across the bustling room, stopping upon the face of the elderly queen who gave him a look of encouragement. As she waited expectantly to see what the teen would do before she left, Roxas touched the pendant for one more self-assurance that Sora would be proud of him for what he was about to do.

"Ladies and gentlemen," his voice rang sonorously through the room, surprising not just those in attendance, but also himself with how loud his voice was. "May I have your attention please!"

The din of conversations died down as everyone's eyes turned toward the single figure standing upon the raised dais. The former Nobody took in a deep breath, staving off the butterflies that fluttered in his stomach. "Thank you and good evening," he began. "My name is Ventus Averia, more commonly known as his Majesty, King Sora's Nobody, Roxas.

"I wish to thank you all for your tireless efforts during these dark times. This kingdom has lost two of her beloved monarchs in recent history and only one remains, grateful for your staunch support. For that, I thank you. Now, I must ask you to remain faithful to the Light, to her Majesty Queen Shizune, to your homes, and most importantly to your family and yourselves. Fear not the Darkness that seeks to smother you. Succumb not to the despair that seeks to freeze your hearts. Be hopeful for a bright future, for I swear to you that I will do whatever I can to protect your homes."

He raised his right hand and summoned Sora's Ultima Weapon, letting the moment sink in for those who were surprised to see Ventus the Youngest's weapon in his hands.

"By the power of the Light, I will continue my master's duty to this kingdom. We will not fail this world. Let the Darkness quail before our united front. As long as hope remains within our hearts, the Darkness cannot hurt us!"

A cheer erupted throughout the entire ballroom as soldiers and peasants raised their glasses in agreement. Both Aqua and Terra joined in the exultation while the Chasers only nodded.

"Sora," Shizune said with tears of joy in her eyes. "If only you could see Roxas now. You have picked a great man to lead Destiny Islands."

A few feet away, Riku, Kairi, and Naminé all smiled happily at Roxas's rousing speech.

"He's certainly come a long way," Kairi remarked.

"It's a good thing he's going to succeed Queen Shizune as king of Destiny Islands once this is all over," Riku added. "If it had been anywhere else, I wouldn't be sure the people would be this quick to accept him."

"Demyx managed it," replied Naminé quietly. "It doesn't hurt that Roxas is Ventus the Youngest reincarnated. I'm sure Destiny Islands is so quick to accept him is because they see their first ruler in him."

The silver-haired prince laughed softly. "Very true, Naminé."

* * *

When the small expedition of Keyblade wielders and a few of Destiny Islands' best soldiers arrived upon the bleak stretch of land aptly named the "End of the World", they knew what must be done.

Roxas blinked quickly to adjust his eyes to the obsidian surroundings. Jagged rock formations rose into the air all around them, like ominous watchtowers overseeing all movements within the land most closely connected to the realm of the Heartless. He took his eyes off of the towers and looked down at the ground, a familiar rune circle etched within the dark granite at his feet. His brows furrowed in confusion; why was there such an artifact here?

Next to him, Aqua shivered at the stillness of the air, the chill enough to freeze one's blood. She unconsciously hugged herself, her heart palpitating rapidly in response to the evil that she sensed from this place.

"This place gives me the creeps," she murmured warily, her hands rubbing over the goose bumps on her arms.

"You'll have to get used to it," Sirocco said quietly. "The road to the Door will not be easy."

Terra eyed the tan-skinned man with pale yellow hair with a frown. He had gotten to know Sirocco better during their time in Destiny Islands and thought the man to be easy-going. Sure he was usually direct in his speech, but the sharp tone Sirocco used seemed so uncharacteristic.

Aqua laid a hand on her brother's bicep, stopping him from going after the Chaser as he began the trek deeper into the End of the World.

"What?" Terra glared at her unhappily, causing the blue-haired woman to wince slightly.

"He's trying to cope with his own end," she said softly, making sure that no Chaser would hear it. "I don't think they've ever thought about how to deal with the knowledge that they would be leaving people they care about behind."

"Don't worry," smiled Kairi, looking back at them as she followed the Chasers and the Destiny Islands soldiers upward. "They'll figure it out. Once they realize that we've accepted their deaths as inevitable as our own, they'll rest easily."

"Besides, it's never really good-bye," added Roxas with a grin. "They'll live on in our hearts and we'll see them again when we get to the Promised Land too."

"Some of us might even see them on the other side earlier," he added softly to himself.

The journey up the treacherous path was slow as the group of fighters picked through narrow ways bordered by sharp rocks that scraped across their armors and clothes. The sound of rocks falling was a constant amongst their footsteps, warning them of the dangers of the bleak land; one misstep could spell doom.

As they continued, Roxas noticed that the path they took was not nearly the straight line he had thought it to be when he scanned over the jagged landscape that led towards the summit of the mountain. Instead, it was winding around the entirety of the mountain—the actual path had been obscured by the sheer walls that rose up around them in various stretched.

Upon exiting the second of the many narrow passageways along the route, they stopped in front of a fork, one leading directly in front of them, the other veering to the left. Without taking a look back, Mickey Mouse had immediately taken the left path, trusting his companions to follow him sans hesitation.

Roxas wouldn't have given Mickey's lead another thought had he not seen Sirocco and Ceres stop briefly to converse in soft tones.

"They thought we should have stopped and split up," Coral answered him quietly as she wrapped an arm around Roxas to steer him forward.

"Why?" the blonde asked in equally soft tones.

"The clock is racing against us. They simply want to move faster through this place," she answered. "And we still don't know exactly what is going to happen when we reach one of the Keyholes."

"We should still move fast," Riku remarked as he walked briskly past them, "the longer we remain, the greater the chance Twilight Town falls." He didn't dare suggest the possibility that his kingdom had already fallen, but the chances of Twilight Town escaping unscathed seemed highly unlikely.

Though Roxas had not spent a lot of time in his family's homeland, he understood the anxiety and fears the silver-haired prince had. Despite the fact that they would be able to rebuild with their survival and memories, he didn't want his family to lose their home either; there were feelings they would never be able to recapture when they rebuild.

The sobering thoughts hastened Roxas's footsteps and he quickly caught up to Riku, who had taken up the spot immediately behind Mickey in the procession as they ventured across a rickety old bridge over a short but deep gap in the mountainside.

Neither teen said a word to the mouse lord, because after they crossed the bridge and rounded a towering obsidian pillar, a clearing came into view with a most unusual sight.

The shape of a keyhole floated unmoving in the air before them. The edges of the unusual object shimmered with a swirl of black and white before turning completely bright red in their presence, as though it could sense the Keyblade that would close it.

Soon after the Keyhole turned red, the Keyblade from the Land of Dragons Station of Awakening flashed into Riku's hand. The silver-haired prince stared at the Keyblade in surprise, unused to wielding a different weapon other than his own Way to the Dawn Keyblade.

He looked down at Mickey and found the mouse lord simply observing. "What must I do?" he asked.

"I do not know," Mickey answered with an awkward smile. "Considering the fact that the Hidden Dragon Keyblade is in your hands, that is the one to use at this site."

"Try locking it?" Kairi suggested.

"How?" Riku asked as he raised the Keyblade with its tip pointed in the direction of the Keyhole; there was no reaction.

"Maybe you need to physically insert the key?" suggested Aqua. Riku nodded in agreement.

"Be careful," Coral said, placing a hand on his sword arm to hold his action momentarily. "We don't know what will happen when you put the Keyblade in. There might be a backlash of power."

Riku nodded silently once again and held the Keyblade in both of his hands. After taking a deep breath, he approached the Keyhole and held the Keyblade up. He then inserted the Keyblade into the receptacle without another word, quickly relinquishing his hold as the weapon continued on its own accord before completely disappearing into the magical Keyhole.

He stepped back and waited with the rest of the group for the results.

The center of the Keyhole began to glow brightly as the Keyblade rejoined the world. A stream of what appeared to be lava fell onto the ground and formed a circle of an elaborate design, etching into the obsidian floor. The crest of the Land of Dragons glowed brightly within the circle before fading slightly as the outline of the Hidden Dragon Keyblade formed in the center. The Keyhole that was in the air melted into the ground in the exact center of the circle. It then shrunk and disappeared, leaving the Keyblade outline and the crest still glowing softly on the ground.

They all breathed a collective sigh of relief, glad that there were no nasty surprises waiting for them.

"Welp," Mickey said with as much cheer as he could muster, "let's continue, shall we?"

"That was quick," Terra agreed with a small smile on his face. Maybe this wouldn't be as hard as they had thought.

While the group turned around to continue to their next destination, Riku stood unmoving where he remained. He swallowed thickly and lifted his right hand, concerned with how it trembled uncontrollably. He struggled to close his fingers, feeling the draining after effects of the entire ritual he had just performed. He held his hand against his chest and tried to will the strange sensation away.

"Your Highness?" Naminé called to him with worry, quickly approaching him when she saw something wrong.

Riku flinched when the blond-haired girl touched his hand, sensations of pins and needles stabbing at him wherever Naminé touched. He resisted the urge to pull away, reminding himself that the girl wasn't trying to harm him despite the painful feeling that shot up his now-useless arm.

"Your hand's freezing," she remarked with alarm, quickly covering his hand with hers to warm the limb up.

"Just as we feared," Mickey commented as he looked at the affected hand. "There had to be some sacrifice, however small it may seem."

"Does that mean Riku can't wield a Keyblade anymore?" Kairi asked fearfully. Though she hadn't voiced the question that would also affect the rest of them, it was on all of their minds.

"I don't know," the mouse lord answered with a sigh. It wasn't just the fact that this malaise would undoubtedly affect all of them, but there were eight Keyholes in total, and only five of them. Whose lives are they going to risk to completely close the doorway?

"I will take the final Keyhole," Roxas said immediately. "Even if it takes awhile to regain control and function in my right hand, I can still fight with my left."

"That's assuming you can even recover from whatever it is," murmured Terra, earning himself a jab in the sides from Aqua. "What," he complained, "it's a perfectly legitimate concern!"

"You're being negative again," she replied pointedly.

Terra flushed in embarrassment, realizing that his sister was right. "Sorry," he said softly.

"Terra is still right though," Roxas commented grimly. "We don't know if it's a fully recoverable condition, but we have no choice."

"We should be fine," Riku gritted out as his hand remained freezing cold even with Namine's efforts. "Sora had originally planned to complete this quest on his own, I'm sure. If he is able to deal with the entire ordeal on his own with Roxas at his side, I don't see how we can't do it with the five of us."

Riku was right. Had Tifa not persuaded Sora to send word to Riku and Kairi all those months ago, Sora would be the only one on this road with all of the Keyblades in his possession. Roxas wasn't even sure if Sora would've let him close some of the Keyholes considering their mutual powers.

There was no point in speculating what could have happened. Sora was dead and it was up to them to finish the task he had started.

"Let's keep going," Roxas suggested. "We still have seven Keyholes to close." The others simply nodded silently in agreement.

* * *

The longer their journey continued unopposed, the edgier they all got until no one dared to speak even after they reached their next destination.

Similar to before, a lone Keyhole sat in the air above the ground, shimmering with swirling black and white before turning into a dark shade of grey. Fenrir flashed into Roxas's right hand, signaling that this would be the Keyblade to close this particular Keyhole.

"How is your hand?" Roxas asked. Riku flexed his hand slowly, frowning at the slow recovery.

"Better," he replied, "but still far from being completely well."

"I'll take this one," Kairi said, holding her hand out for the Keyblade. Roxas nodded and handed the Keyblade over, letting the princess of Radiant Garden take center stage.

"Be careful, your Highness," Naminé said worriedly.

Kairi nodded with an encouraging smile on her face, more for herself than the girl that was her Nobody.

She grasped the hilt of the bulky Keyblade with both hands, lifting the sword-like weapon up and pointing the tip at the Keyhole with the flat side of the blade nearly touching her cheek. She let out a battle cry, releasing all the tension that had been pent up in her body, and plunged the weapon into the Keyhole. It wasn't until she felt the tell-tale signs of numbness before she let the Keyblade go, watching it disappear into the Keyhole. Once the Keyblade was gone, the Keyhole shone with a silver light before melting onto the ground to form the crest of Midgar and the outline of the Fenrir Keyblade with glowing silver.

The princess of Radiant Garden continued to step back, clutching her affected arm. A pair of hands grasped onto her shoulders and she turned to see Riku smiling encouragingly at her with Namine by his side. She winced as the sudden jolt jarred her arm, causing the numbness to spread beyond her hand and up her arm to her elbow.

Naminé immediately wrapped her lower arm in her jacket. The soft hiss that passed through her mistress's lips was not missed as a frown appeared on the Nobody's face. Kairi knew the younger girl meant well, but the jacket did nothing to warm her now frozen limb up.

"Don't worry," Riku whispered encouragingly, "it'll pass."

The princess could only nod silently in agreement.

Before they could even begin backtracking to the main path, the earth suddenly shook violently underneath them. Immediately, Mickey turned his eyes skyward in the direction of the apex of this desolate mountain. His eyes narrowed suspiciously at the plumes of steam that rose from the summit. They were running out of time.

When the earthquake finally passed, the group gingerly picked themselves up from the ground, dusting off their armors while half reaching for their own weapons just in case.

"We're going to have to move faster," Mickey said as he took point again back to the main path.

"How do you want to do this?" Sirocco asked grimly, keeping in step right next to the mouse lord.

"We can't split up into small groups to go directly to the later Keyholes," Roxas pointed out with a frown, "not when we don't know which Keyblade we have to use for each one of them."

"Therein lies the problem," remarked Mickey.

"I know," Aqua said, halting the company as they looked at her. "Leave the Keyholes to us," she suggested, gesturing to her fellow descendants. "The rest of you guys can head directly to the summit and clear the rest of the way for us."

"Assuming there are any Heartless to fight," quipped the dark-skinned Chaser.

"There will be," Ceres replied quietly. "Xehanort won't leave the door unguarded."

"I'll go with you guys," Coral said. "You don't know the roads like we do."

"Very well," Mickey agreed with a nod. "We'll meet you at the top."

* * *

They didn't share any parting words when they came to the next fork, directly heading towards their own destinations. Only the Destiny Islands soldiers gave Roxas a brief salute as he stood by to watch them pass. The blonde acknowledged each and every one of them before he ran down the other path to catch up to his own group.

No one spoke a word for the duration of their trek to the next Keyhole. Kairi and Riku continued to nurse their affected hands with worry, though the silver-haired prince was heartened by the regaining of his control over his hand.

Upon reaching their next target, a red Keyblade bordered with black flashed into Kairi's hand—the Keyblade taken from the Macalanian Station of Awakening before Rocky left her in Nibelheim: Guardian Soul. With her weapon arm still affected, Kairi almost dropped the weapon, but the presence of the Keyblade seemed to stave off the coldness that had lingered.

Roxas watched as the red-haired girl slowly lifted the Keyblade, a look of puzzlement upon her face as she stared at the weapon.

"What's the matter?" Riku asked, seeing the strange look.

"It's weird," she remarked before handing the Keyblade to Roxas. When she transferred the weapon over, the coldness returned, though much less pronounced than before. "My hand felt fine when the Keyblade was summoned."

"And now?" Aqua asked. Kairi's awkward smile answered the question.

Roxas disregarded the exchange and quickly did what he had to do, pushing the Keyblade into the floating Keyhole and watching stoically as the seal was formed on the ground. He could sense Aqua approaching him with worry and turned to smile at her, keeping his temporarily dead arm out of her grasp.

"Let's keep going," he said simply, wincing as he shook his frozen arm to the sensations of pins and needles shooting up and down the limb.

"Have you tried summoning Ultima Weapon?" Aqua suggested. Her brother stopped and raised his left hand, calling forth the said weapon. His ice blue eyes widened with surprise as the strange numbness suddenly faded away. His hand still trembled, but Roxas didn't care to speculate whether it was from giddiness from all the adrenaline or the lingering effects of the sacrifice.

"The numbness is gone," he remarked, transferring the weapon to his right hand. The weapon shook in his grasp, but it was steady enough to be satisfactory.

"Guess that makes sense," Coral mused aloud as both Riku and Kairi summoned their individual Keyblades. "This is Heartless territory. Sora would've had to summon his Keyblade soon after closing a Keyhole that he wouldn't have thought much of the aftereffects."

"And we're all together," added Riku thoughtfully, "that's why we're not as on guard as Sora might be if it was just himself and Roxas."

"Now that we know how to counter the coldness, we should move faster," Roxas said grimly. "I'm worried about the others."

"The soldiers that came with us are amongst the best of the Destiny Islands military, they can hold their own against the Heartless," remarked Kairi. "You needn't worry."

"I hope you're right," he replied.

"Yeah, I hope so too," the red-haired girl murmured under her breath.

With the new knowledge regarding the Keyblades, the group quickly closed the Keyholes for Sweet Memories and Sleeping Lion, taken from the Stations of Awakening for Trabia and Traverse Town respectively. Not once did the Heartless appear to challenge their progress, causing them to become very wary.

As they continued on their way toward the sixth Keyhole, they were alarmed to see an unconscious Destiny Islands soldier lying dangerously close to the edge of the precipitous path.

The soldier hissed awake when Roxas gently raised him up, his eyes wide with fear before softening at the familiar sight. Roxas knew the man didn't have much time left, not with the pool of blood that had formed underneath him.

"Edgar," he said worriedly. "What happened?"

"My liege," the dying soldier saluted with a bloodied fist over his chest. "The Naughts. They slaughtered everyone save for the Chasers and Captain Rygdea. Xehanort took them to the summit."

Terra scowled angrily as he looked up at the peak of the volcano, his fingers tightened around the hilt of Oblivion even more.

"My liege," he continued, taking Roxas's attention off of their ultimate destination. "I have a request."

"Anything, Edgar," the blonde answered immediately.

"Will you take care of my wife and daughter?"

"You didn't have to ask," Roxas smiled sadly. "They will be well taken care of."

"I thank you..." he slowly closed his eyes with a smile on his face, "Your Majesty."

"And neither you nor your comrades will be forgotten," the yellow-haired teen said softly, setting the dead back onto the ground.

"What should we do?" Kairi asked worriedly as she looked at her companions.

"If we rush ahead, we'd be walking right into a trap," Riku remarked grimly.

Coral nodded in agreement. "For now, we have to finish our task and hope that our friends can endure whatever it is that Xehanort has planned for them."

"We should still hurry though," added Aqua. "We'd be doing our friends a disservice if we don't shorten their suffering."

* * *

With determination driving their every step, it wasn't long before the group finished closing the seventh Keyhole with the Star Seeker Keyblade, leaving the 13 Mushroom as the last Keyblade left before their final destination. There was no split in the path leading to two different locations; instead, the final Keyhole sat on the path to the summit, silently waiting for its counterpart Keyblade.

Since there was only one Keyblade left, Kairi made no hesitation to hand the keychain for the 13 Mushroom over to Roxas once she closed the seventh Keyhole. The blonde accepted the charm with an awkward smile, unable to find the cheer that had come so easily for Sora before his father had died.

"Keep going," he said, staring at the Keyhole with intensity. "I'll catch up."

Coral nodded silently before she continued across the circular clearing toward the path on the other side. Both Terra and Aqua opted to remain behind for Roxas; even though it would have taken the teen only a few minutes to complete the final preparatory task, neither sibling was willing to let him out of their sights.

As soon as the final Keyhole was closed—the last of the world's Keyblades returned, there was a dramatic change to the landscape up to the summit. The rocks didn't seem as ominous as before and the air was less oppressive. It brought an easy smile to Roxas's face, feeling the calming powers gently flowing through him.

Even his brother and sister could feel their hearts swelling with the faith of the planet, the unseen support from the people who fought for their homes and refused to let the Darkness conquer them.

"Let's hurry," smiled Aqua. Her brothers nodded with smiles on their own faces and the trio quickly chased after their friends.

They hadn't even stepped beyond the final seal when they were suddenly thrown into darkness, as though the path that had been set in front of them was just an illusion. Their Keyblades glowed softly, but even their light could only illuminate a few feet around them, showing nothing but murky blackness.

Just when they thought Xehanort would ambush them in that darkness, the veil suddenly disappeared, revealing a large circular platform that hovered over the lake of magma underneath the dome cap at the top of the volcano. The floor of the platform was composed of dark colored stained glass, depicting the symbol of the Heartless flanked by corrupted versions of two worlds. At the center of the platform stood a set of double doors that had been flung open, rusted over with history.

"Where are the others?" Aqua asked, pointing out the absence of not just the other four who gone ahead of them, but also the ones held captive by the common enemy.

Just as Roxas began turning around to check that they were indeed alone, he saw the other Keyblade wielders and Naminé appear out of thin air behind them.

"R-Roxas?" Kairi blurted in surprise. "How did you guys get here before us?"

"We don't know," Terra answered instead. "We took the same path you guys took. One minute we were on our way up, the next we were here."

"More importantly," murmured Riku. "Where is Xehanort keeping the others?"

"I underestimated you, Coral," the sinister voice echoed across the domed chamber. "I didn't think you had the mettle to get past the final barrier. And I was so looking forward to playing with the Three alone."

The dark-haired man appeared above the open metallic gray doors in the middle of the platform, his arms crossed over his chest and an amused sneer upon his wicked face.

"Where are they?" Coral demanded angrily.

"Safe," he replied with that same sneer upon his face. "For now." Coral grunted in disgust, taking a short step towards the door only to be held back by Riku. She turned to find the silver-haired teen shaking his head grimly.

"Would you like to see them?" he continued before waving an arm in front of him. Instantly, four obsidian statues appeared to the left and right of the doors. Both Aqua and Kairi let out disconcerted gasps at the sight. The expressions of shock and fear were etched upon the faces of the four captives, trapped in their crystalline prison.

"What have you done to them!" Terra yelled, willing him to remain with the others even though his heart screamed at him to help his trapped friends.

"I believe it's what I'll do to them that you should be more worried about," the villain replied. "All of them will die. It's just a matter of how. I thought I should show you the powers I have gained since we've last met."

He summoned the Nameless Key and pricked his left thumb with the sharpened tip of the sinister weapon. A bead of black blood formed on the digit. Hovering in the air, he grinned as he held his hand over the statue of Ceres. The drop of blood felt onto the statue and a sharp shattering echoed through the dome. Cracks appeared in the statue before it shattered into thousands of pieces.

Coral screamed in anguish at her friend's demise, dropping to her knees and staring at the empty space where Ceres once stood. Aqua knelt down next to the distraught Chaser to lend her support as Kairi and Naminé both took comfort in each other's arms.

"You bastard!" growled Terra, taking a step towards the floating man alongside Riku.

"Shall we play a game?" Xehanort chuckled, raising the Nameless Key over his head. As the weapon swirled in a cloud of darkness, different colored spheres formed in the air all around them. Each individual elemental magic was held within the spheres: fire, ice, lightning, and air. Roxas and Kairi quickly stepped up next to the two men of earth with their Keyblades up to counter whatever attacks Xehanort will throw at them.

"Let us see how long you can survive against a barrage of magic," he said with an insane smile.

Roxas snorted at Xehanort's foolish notion; as if he would allow the man to channel the barrage without challenge. In one swift motion, he reached his left hand back and summoned Kingdom Key; then he flung the Keyblade forward towards one of the many orbs near Xehanort. The impact caused a giant explosion that created a cloud of smoke that blew through the entire chamber.

As soon as the smoke dispersed, Roxas quickly jumped up to attack Xehanort just as the first waves of Naughts rose up from shadows. Though the Nameless Key exuded an aura of evil, it had no effect on the blonde, whose attacks came so swiftly that the evil villain was on the defensive.

One particular horizontal slash by Roxas sent Xehanort skidding to the opposite end of the circular platform, away from the three that were still trapped in their crystal prisons.

"Roxas!" Riku called to him as he destroyed yet another Dusk. "The Key!"

The yellow-haired teen nodded in understanding and resummoned the Kingdom Key before tossing it over to Riku. Though he didn't know what the prince of Twilight Town wished to do with the weapon, he had a more important task in fighting Xehanort. He took in a deep breath and ran towards the black-haired fiend to engage him in battle again.

After catching the Kingdom Key, Riku quickly dismissed Way to the Dawn to grasp the hilt of the first magical Keyblade with both hands. He wasn't entirely sure what he needed to do, simply letting his heart dictate his actions. Trusting the others to cover for him temporarily, he pointed the weapon in the direction of Mickey's statue. Light gathered at the tip as a circular seal formed at his feet. Invisible winds whirled around him and for a moment, he thought he was in a different world, where light and darkness co-existed in balance. Eventually, a beam of white light streamed forth and hit Mickey's statue, creating cracks in the obsidian crystal. The shell faded away, releasing the mouse lord from his prison.

"Mickey!" Riku called to the anthropomorphic mouse, quickly catching him before he collapsed onto the ground.

"Thank you, Riku," Mickey Mouse said gratefully. He gingerly tested his own strength and smiled that his legs were not seriously affected by the imprisonment. "Get the others," he added as he ran to join Roxas in battle, summoning his Keyblade in the process.

Mickey reached the two fighters just as the pair locked their weapons against one another, neither backing down from the challenge. He jumped up and brought his Keyblade down on the two weapons, breaking the stalemate.

Xehanort staggered back from the force of the break, unaware that his original plan had been broken until he heard the name.

"Mickey!" Roxas exclaimed with surprise and relief at the presence of the leaders of the Chasers.

Mickey spared no glances at the former Nobody, keeping his eyes on the enemy. "This ends today, Xehanort," he said quietly, readying his Keyblade to attack.

"What!" the Heartless uttered in disbelief before his eyes landed upon Riku, who was in the process of freeing Sirocco from his crystalline prison. "No," he growled, his nostrils flaring in rage. He roared loudly and sent a powerful shockwave through the entire chamber. The Naughts quickly disappeared under Xehanort's rage while the remaining fighters struggled to keep their footing.

Roxas stabbed the Lost Memory Keyblade into the platform, glad that the weapon was able to pierce the glassy floor, and held onto the hilt tightly. Wind whipped past him intensely, making it a struggle to keep his grip. Just when he despaired at his loosening hold, a loud blast sounded above him as the cap of the dome exploded outward, sending rock and boulders into the sky. At that exact moment, the wind faded and the fighters regained their ground.

Two successive shattering sounds rang as Xehanort murdered the remaining two prisoners. He then waved one hand in the air, causing the remaining magic orbs to explode, before slamming the Nameless Key down into the ground.

The explosions served as a temporarily distraction while a sinister attack crawled through the ground towards Riku. However, Naminé noticed the danger the silver-haired prince was in and quickly ran towards him.

"Look out!" she cried, pushing him out of the way just as the attack reached his previous position. Dark tendrils rose up rapidly from the ground and surrounded Naminé, entrapping her just as the others had been.

Both Kairi and Riku watched with terror as the crystalline Naminé slowly toppled over, shattering into a thousand pieces before turning into black powder to be swept away by lingering winds. The only thing that remained was one of her trademark stilettos, a memento of the girl's sacrifice.

Kairi dropped her Keyblade and collapsed onto the ground, staring at the sharp dagger with shock. "No, no, no, no, no," she repeated softly like a broken record, her eyes dilating and constricting uncontrollably in her catatonic state. Next to her, Riku fared not much better, shaking his head in denial. He howled in anguish, letting his knees buckle underneath him as tears filled his eyes and streamed down his cheeks. The others could say nothing, unwilling to accept Naminé's abrupt death.

Roxas reached down to pick up the stiletto that Naminé had left behind. His hand trembled as he held the deadly thin knife. He couldn't believe it; she was a Nobody. She wasn't supposed to die that fast before her mistress died, even though it was their life mission to protect their Somebodies. He closed his eyes and swallowed down a sob, gritting his teeth to push away the sadness and let rage fill his heart.

Xehanort frowned at his miscalculations and made his way over to the center doors, quickly disappearing into the darkness beyond.

Growling angrily, the yellow-haired teen slowly lifted his head to stare at the dark doorway. Desire for revenge burned within his soul and reflected in his ice blue eyes in the form of cold fire. He dropped the stiletto and held the Lost Memory Keyblade tightly.

"Xehanort!" he screamed gutturally before running headlong into the unknown world beyond the doors.

Right after Roxas passed through the doors, Riku picked himself up from the ground and let out a ferociously cry, following the blond-haired teen into the unknown.

"No… Riku…" Kairi said softly, "don't go…"

But the silver-haired prince never heard her soft plea.

* * *

The murky blackness that surrounded him didn't frighten him one bit. Invisible hands grabbed at him, but quickly withdrew as the light burned away the darkness.

Soon, Roxas stood on the edge of a precipice, looking down at the sleeping Chernabog. Above him in the skies, Kingdom Hearts remained motionless, her pinkish glow never wavering.

Beside him, Riku skidded to a halt, his eyes scanning across the large basin for any signs of their enemy.

"Go back, Riku," Roxas murmured. "Kairi needs you."

"And do you not need help?" the other immediately returned.

Roxas said nothing in reply, partly grateful for the older teen's assistance. He wouldn't get in the way of Riku's desire to hurt Xehanort either; after all, he wished to do the same thing.

"No way down," he remarked instead.

"We don't need one," Riku replied, pointing towards the distance.

Against the dimmed sky, Roxas could just make out the outlines of small islands floating in the air over the giant basin leading up to a much larger floating landmass that dwarfed all other floating islands. Though neither teen could see what awaited them there, they knew that Xehanort was on that island in some shape or form.

The sound of rocks hitting glass clinked to his right. His eyes found Riku spraying handful of dirt and pebble onto an invisible walkway leading up to the nearest island.

"Here goes," Riku said as he took in a deep breath. He gingerly placed a foot on the invisible walkway and breathed out the held breath in relief, glad that the walkway didn't crumble. He continued up the path, half-fascinated by the rainbow ripples that spread from wherever his foot landed, half-wary that the path would inexplicably break at any moment. As the pair continued onward, they never let their guard down even as the path remained strong underneath their feet.

Upon reaching the second of the numerous floating islands on the way, the whooshing sound of Dusks rising from the ground surrounded them. Immediately, the pair fought the Naughts, dispatching them with relative ease before other types of Naughts appeared in succession, ending in four Sorcerer Naughts that surrounded them with their pinkish magical blocks. Before the Sorcerers could completely trap the two Keyblade wielders, the pair sprung into the air and out of the enclosure. Roxas back flipped over one of the Naughts and slashed horizontally at the creature's neck, causing it to disintegrate into dust. In the air, Riku quickly twisted about and brought his Keyblade straight down on another Sorcerer, splitting it in half before it too faded into the nothingness whence it came.

The remaining two Naughts hovered closer to each other and set their blocks around them as shields, spinning them rapidly to reflect any attacks the two Keyblade wielders might attempt. The defensive stance the Naughts took didn't fool Roxas one bit as he waited for the opportune time to strike. Likewise, Riku followed suit and watched the shifting blocks carefully.

After a few moments of inactivity, one of the Naughts began its attack. The shift in block formation was all Roxas needed before he lunged forward and disrupted whatever attack the Sorcerer Naught had in plan. Quick consecutive slashes later and only one Naught was left. The last remaining Naught didn't last long though; Riku made quick work of the hapless creature, dispatching it shortly after Roxas had done so with the other.

With the imminent threat gone, the two teens continued their way up the singular path, stopping just a few steps onto the main island to find a flat surface with a throne in the middle. As they slowly approached the unoccupied throne, varicolored light streamed in thin paths from the throne, forming a floor plan before silvery structures rose around them. The most prominent feature of the formations was the half-dome that rose behind the throne upon which five gargoyles sat.

The whooshing sound of a portal opening preceded the appearance of Xehanort in front of the cold metal throne. His crimson eyes regarded the two with amusement and intrigue, considering the fact that his opponents were only two boys.

"Just you two?" he asked.

"We are more than capable of stopping you," Riku replied coolly, raising his Keyblade up in his usual battle stance.

Roxas had no words to describe the anger he felt towards the villain in front of him, the man that was responsible for this era of Darkness and much more. He was responsible for all the hurts that Roxas and hundreds of other children had to endure because of the practice he started all those years ago; that Ventus had to endure for centuries because of the Nameless Key; that Sora had to endure because he inherited both Ventus's curse and the Kingdom Key; that Marlene had to endure in her young life. There were countless crimes that Roxas could attribute to Xehanort, one for each person who dwelled in Kingdom Hearts.

Silently, he bent his knees with Ultima Weapon in his left hand and Lost Memory in his right. He watched Xehanort carefully, waiting for the moment when the man would battle them.

"Very well," Xehanort said coolly, raising his hand palm up to summon the Nameless Key. Above them, unnoticed, the border appearance of Kingdom Hearts changed from a pinkish hue to pure white. The rippled look of black and gold smoothed over until only gold remained.

"Wha-?" Roxas uttered in surprise when Lost Memory suddenly moved on its own accord, pointing directly at Xehanort. His eyes widened as tendrils of faint light streamed down into the Keyblade. His heart swelled with the power of Light with the warmth invigorating him. Slowly, the weapon began to glow brighter and brighter.

"Roxas?" Riku called to his friend worriedly, but the blonde didn't answer. Instead, all of his focus was upon the Keyblade Ventus had forged for him. He dismissed Ultima Weapon to place both hands on the hilt; though he didn't know why, there was the thought that if he lost his grasp on the weapon, then all would be lost.

As the glow of the Keyblade intensified, it became harder for Roxas to keep his grip. Still, he held on—his will and determination the only things that kept him going.

There was a part of Riku that wanted him to help Roxas, but something else was stopping him, a warning from unknown sources. This was something that Roxas had to do on his own. All he could do was to lend his support silently and have faith in the younger teen.

Roxas gritted his teeth as the bright Keyblade trembled in his hands. Beads of sweat rolled down the side of his face, down his neck, making his palm clammy and his clothes to stick to his heated skin. Try as he might the Keyblade continued to struggle against his control.

Though Xehanort was cautious—after all, the power of Light was in the boy's hands right now, the man couldn't help but find the sight humorous. The boy's attempt to control the power showed no progress at all.

"Give it up, you foolish, foolish boy," he said, barking out a cruel laugh. "All that power at the tip of your fingertips; yet, you still lack the capability to control it. Did you honestly think you would be able to beat me?"

The blonde's attention was all set upon the Keyblade, its glow brightening with each passing second. He paid little attention to Xehanort's biting comments as ethereal whispers surrounded him.

All of a sudden, he realized what he needed to do. Xehanort was right—this power could not be controlled, for its master was itself.

A smile appeared on Roxas's face briefly; a glint of jubilation at his own discovery passed through his ice blue eyes. He let go of the living Keyblade and allowed the power to consume him, use him as a vessel to release its true powers.

"Roxas!" screamed Riku in alarm as the blonde relinquished his control.

_'Run!'_ a voice sounded within his mind. _'Run, Riku!'_ Though his heart didn't want to leave Roxas alone, the familiarity of the voice pushed him to go against his heart. He turned and ran, distancing himself from the large floating island that served as the stage for the final battle between Light and Darkness.

The light of the Keyblade siphoned into the teen's body before the boy was completed enveloped in white light. As the light gradually receded, Roxas stood there dressed in a silver armor that glowed softly. When he opened his eyes, however, it was clear that it was not truly Roxas who stood there. A kaleidoscope of colors swirled within his eyes, ever changing with passing time. The only constant within those depthless eyes were the fire of vengeance that burned within—the determination to end the existence of the man who had robbed thousands of innocents their lives, all for the sake of attaining the unattainable.

* * *

Riku stopped briefly at the middle on the way back towards his world, curious about what was happening behind him. His eyes locked onto the glowing figure that was Roxas, but he could somehow sense that it wasn't really the boy that stood there.

A rumbling sound surrounded him as the path between the large island and the cliff began to crumble.

_'Run!'_ the familiar voice urged. Riku didn't need any more goading before he quickly made his way to the cliff's edge, noticing Chernabog waking at the bottom of the basin. At the end, he made one great leap to reach safety just as the invisible path underneath him crumpled into the darkness. He breathed heavily and watched with morbid fascination at the events that was happening before him; the sudden rising and fading of Chernabog as it turned into a cloud to surround Xehanort.

_'Riku…'_ Kairi's voice called to him, causing the silver-haired teen to quickly turn and seek for the red-haired princess in the corridor behind him.

_'Kairi needs you,'_ Naminé's familiar voice said to him worriedly, but the silver-haired teen couldn't see the girl that had died for them.

"Naminé?" he asked.

_'I'll see you again at the end,_' she said instead. _'Go to Kairi.'_

Riku nodded silently, turned around, and ran back towards the doorway.

As soon as he stepped through, he found a peculiar sight.

Standing in front of him were Terra, Aqua, Mickey, and Coral with Kairi sitting on the ground behind them. His heart wrenched at her immobile state, devastated by the loss of her Nobody and his reckless action to chase after Xehanort. He quickly knelt down next to her, ignoring the enemies that stood a few yards away from them.

"Kairi," he said tenderly, wrapping his arms around her shoulders in a comforting embrace.

"Riku!" Aqua exclaimed in surprise; no one had expected him to return so quickly, not when they knew how difficult the battle against Xehanort would be.

"Kairi, I'm back," he said, focusing his attention on the red-haired princess in his arms. "I'm sorry," he continued.

He was relieved when Kairi slowly pulled away and smiled at him weakly, her eyes clearing as they met his. She reached up with one hand and cupped his left cheek, letting the moment—however brief it might seem—last.

A shot rang out, causing both teens to quickly duck before the bullet passed narrowly close over Kairi's head. When both looked up, they immediately found the smoking gun in Captain Hook's hand.

"Can't have a private moment here, can we?" Riku muttered, standing up with Kairi as both teens seethed at the abrupt interruption.

"They won't answer," snorted Terra. "They're not even themselves."

"Oh good, that means I can make a ragdoll out of him," Kairi remarked coldly, her blue eyes darkening with vicious thoughts. Her boyfriend laid a hand on her forearm, turning her attention to him, and shook his head silently. Kairi blushed lightly at her own uncharacteristic behavior and turned back to face Captain Hook, reminding herself not to overdo it.

"Riku," Aqua called to the silver-haired teen worriedly. "Roxas?"

"Still back there," Riku answered curtly.

"You left him there by himself!" Terra exclaimed incredulously. "With Xehanort!"

"Stella and Naminé were there," he answered calmly, realizing just who it was that had told him to run in the first place. "I'm sure everyone on Kingdom Hearts is with him too."

"Sora?" suggested Kairi hopefully.

"Most likely," he nodded.

Mickey turned his attention back onto the rest of the Bastion Imperialists that had come to the door; the dark glow around them told him everything: Xehanort had corrupted them all with the power of the Darkness from the Heartless realm. They were no better than the Heartless that had invaded this world.

Waiting no longer, Mickey ran forward with his Keyblade trailing behind him, skidding to an abrupt halt when a wall of blue fire flared up in front of him. However, he didn't let the flame wall from keeping him away from his targets. In one swift motion, he sprung up and somersaulted over the wall, slashing at Shan Yu's sword before he landed in front of the beady-eyed man. Coral followed quickly, joining the melee against Jafar before the former advisor to the sultan of Agrabah could use his magic against her leader and friend.

None of the other four followed their Chaser allies over the flames immediately, though Terra and Aqua were about to before Kairi stopped them. She produced several throwing knives—few of the last ones Naminé had left with her—and threw them at Hades. The blue-skinned villain disappeared in a cloud of smoke, but when he reappeared, Riku was ready for him. He threw the final knife instantly at where Hades reappeared, letting a smile grace his face when the thin blade hit the man. Immediately, the fire wall disappeared and Terra and Aqua quickly joined Mickey and Coral.

Another shot rang out with the bullet cutting off a few strands of Kairi's hair as she barely dodged the lead projectile. She scowled angrily at Captain Hook's persistent attempts to kill her and engaged the lanky man in combat, evading swipes from his hook while parrying the slashes from his rapier. As his hook came down towards her, she quickly blocked the attack and caught the hook with her Keyblade. Swiftly, she turned her weapon and snapped the hook in half.

Captain Hook retaliated with a forward thrust of his rapier towards Kairi's momentarily unguarded side, cutting deeply into the flesh. She gasped with pain and took a few staggered steps backward before she yelled ferociously. Her Keyblade sang through the air and cut through the possessed man's neck, decapitating him. Instantly, Captain Hook's corpse collapsed onto the ground, turning into dust that was swept away by an invisible wind.

With her opponent dead, the princess of Radiant Garden clutched her wounded side with one hand, grimacing as the deep gash bled profusely. She collapsed onto one knee and leaned against her Keyblade to keep her upright.

"Kairi!" Riku cried worriedly, quickly disengaging from his own duel against Hades to tend to his wounded love. Hades chased after the teen, but Terra's timely intervention kept the villainous god from attacking the vulnerable pair.

Kairi slumped into Riku's arms, wincing slightly with each breath. "I'm fine," she whispered, smiling weakly at the silver-haired teen. "It didn't nick anything."

"You're going to bleed to death," he remarked grimly, brooking no further arguments from the red-haired girl as he pulled out the roll of clean linen bandages. Of course, Kairi couldn't say much when he pressed on the wound to staunch the bleeding, binding the injury tightly with the linen that quickly saturated with red. Without any poultice at hand, it was the best that he could do. Riku could only eye the dressing with the fervent hope that it would be enough until they returned to civilization.

With that same weak smile on her face, the princess laid a tender hand on Riku's arm in an attempt to assuage his fears. The silver-haired prince only smiled back awkwardly, unable to shake the fear within his mind.

The sound of Aqua yelling turned the pair's attention towards the blue-haired woman just as she thrust her Keyblade into the burlap sack body of Oogie Boogie. With another yell, she turned her weapon and sliced upward through the head, literally cutting the bag of bugs in half. The remains of the villain quickly burst into ashes and disappeared like Captain Hook.

At the same time, Coral shattered Jafar's staff with a well place hit upon the staff head, robbing the slithery man of his powers. She took a quick step forward and delivered a hard kick into her opponent's stomach. Jafar went flying across a short distance before he fell over the platform. She leaned over the edge and watched as the man disappeared into the fiery magma with a viscous splash followed by a column of fire flaring upward.

She turned to see Mickey attacking Shan Yu aggressively, hopping around the burly warlord in his unique battle style. Riku continued to hover over Kairi protectively lest some attack came their way. And Terra and Aqua were making headway against Hades despite his tendencies to disappear in clouds of smoke, only to reappear behind them before unleashing a fireball at the pair of Keyblade wielders. The scowl upon Terra's face told Coral that he was getting frustrated by his opponent's slippery strategy. But thus far, neither Terra nor Aqua appeared to be much affected in the battle.

It wasn't long before Mickey defeated Shan Yu, disarming the heavy sword from the burly man's hands. In one swift stroke, the mouse lord stabbed him in the chest with his Keyblade, unsurprised at the lack of blood that flowed from the wound. Instead, shadowy wisps exited the cut, surrounding the dying villain. The Darkness consumed him until nothing was left then faded away like the others.

Hades was the only one left.

With numbers on their side, the Keyblade wielders eliminated Hades' ability to move about at will without getting hit one way or another. Even the power of Darkness wasn't enough for him to triumph over the determined warriors of Light. The speed at which he had to dodge the slashes and lunges kept him from even throwing his trademark fireballs.

The dance continued on for several moments, but the Keyblade wielders had no intentions of giving Hades any time to retaliate. At last, in uncanny synchronicity, Mickey, Coral, Terra, and Aqua all stabbed Hades at the same time from different directions. The blue-skinned man exploded with such a powerful force that knocked all of the combatants away.

"Aqua!" Terra shouted in horror as his sister fell off of the platform from the explosion. He quickly scampered over to the edge and tried to catch a limb, but it was too late; he could only watch with despair as she fell further away.

Aqua cried hysterically, her mind unwilling to accept her death that was surely imminent. She looked upwards to lock eyes with her brother, finding nothing but despair within the blue depths.

Then, all of a sudden, she found sparks of light flying through the air past Terra, heading straight for her. Her descent stopped as the light surrounded her and soon, she was on her way back to safety. Trilling laughter echoed around her as she ascended. She tried to look for the source of the laughter, but wherever she turned, she only caught glimpses of blurry faces smiling back at her.

The sparks set her down gently on the platform before racing around the caldera, as though they were waiting for something.

"Aqua," Terra said with a sigh of relief, engulfing his sister in a bear hug. Aqua only smiled as she returned the embrace.

They were all fascinated by the spectacle that surrounded them.

"What are they?" Kairi asked, the pain from her wound temporarily forgotten as some of the sparks surrounded her. She raised an arm as the sparks traveled to her fingertips before falling back down to orbit rapidly around her midsection. Slowly, they began to gather near the bounded gash at her side and a stream of gold light flowed into her.

"They're healers," a voice answered, "from Kingdom Hearts."

"Ventus," Mickey greeted with surprise.

"Hello, Mickey."

* * *

"I should have known you were behind this, Ventus," Xehanort spat with displeasure while black wind whirled about them. The ethereal form of Ventus the Youngest stepped out of the body and smiled at the villain with amusement.

"So you know then?" asked the spirit. "And yet you chose to retrieve the Key. I wonder why that is."

"Light is weak, easily smothered by the Darkness. Why do you delay the inevitable?"

"You have lost sight of the Light, Xehanort," Ventus answered. "The Darkness is not the inevitable end for the worlds; my own time in the Darkness has taught me that. It cannot survive without the Light; that is why this world chose you to open the doorway between the two worlds, so it can continue its existence in this vast universe. Without the Light, this world will fade into nothingness. That is the nature of Darkness: a destructive force that will destroy itself when all is said and done. Even you will fade into nothingness without the Light."

Xehanort scowled angrily at the statements. "Then let's have our final battle. See who wins in the end, Light or Darkness."

"You've sealed your fate the minute you killed Sora," Ventus said softly, the smile on his face turning flat as he rejoined the thousands of spirits that entered Lost Memory to help in the final fight. Roxas stared at Xehanort as he raised the Nameless Key, pulling in the essence of Chernabog that had been circling them in a whirlwind. When Xehanort lowered the weapon, he was covered in a black armor that glinted coldly under the pale light of Kingdom Hearts.

Neither fighter spoke a word before they engaged in combat. The first contact between Light and Darkness was so violent, it sent a shockwave through the air, deepening the crater underneath them and destroying several smaller ones of the surrounding islands. The two didn't pause in their battle as their weapons struck repeatedly, causing destruction to even the island where they battled. As the fight continued, the gargoyles that had perched on top of the half-dome crumbled with the repeated blasts. The half-dome itself crashed down on the silver throne, destroying yet another one of Xehanort's creation.

When their weapons met for the thirteenth time, neither fighter backed down, pushing against each other while lightning sparked from the point of contact. The deadly bolts seared the land where they hit, creating rocky debris that hung in the electrifying atmosphere. At the bottom of the crater, a crack in the land formed, widening with each passing moment before hot lava erupted. The molten rock rose like water fountain, filling the basin without cooling. Slowly, the rest of the islands sank beneath the lava, leaving the island where they fought the last isolated landmass.

They finally broke apart after the prolonged contact just as the island ceased to float in midair and began rocking gently upon the lava pool.

The frown on Xehanort's face deepened as he looked down at the weapon in his hand. The power that he could feel was waning and the armor around his body shifted to accommodate the change in strength. He knew that he had to end this quickly lest Ventus the Youngest discovered his weakening.

The avatar of Light regarded him coolly; the boyish face belying absolutely no emotions. This lack of expression only goaded Xehanort into resuming the battle. He raised the Keyblade at his side and ran forward, slashing diagonally at Roxas. The boy simply parried the slash and continued fighting his enemy. If Roxas had been conscious, he would have noted the growing desperation in Xehanort's assault as the attacks came haphazardly. A slash there and a lunge here were easily blocked and parried.

When one particular horizontal slash was blocked, Xehanort lashed out with his offhand, backslapping Roxas with such force that the boy was spun around before he fell to the ground on his backside. The black-haired man sneered triumphantly at the blood at corner of the teen's mouth. But the sneer quickly faded as the boy stood back up, unperturbed by the blood that stained his lips. Xehanort scowled with displeasure before he summoned a dark orb in his offhand then threw the said orb at the stoic teen. Roxas stepped to the side to evade the projectile and raised the Lost Memory Keyblade to deflect another one.

The onslaught of magic continued, but each time Roxas was able to deftly move out of the way or swiftly deflect the shot.

Still, as an orb came too fast for him to step aside, Roxas bent backwards to let the orb fly past him dangerously close before he followed through with a back flip. Xehanort quickly used the brief moment when the teen was vulnerable to attack. He chased after the boy with a dash, roaring loudly as he slashed downward. Roxas quickly brought his Keyblade up as best as he could.

A loud shattering echoed through the suddenly still air.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion before Xehanort's eyes. He stared wide-eyed as the Nameless Key broke in half where it hit Lost Memory. The tip of the broken blade flew over the kneeling boy's head, cutting none of the strands as it passed through the mop of yellow hair. The remains of the broken weapon in his hands were powerless and no longer glinted under the pale moon. The champion of Darkness was defeated.

The broken Keyblade exploded into dust, releasing what's left of Chernabog and the tormented souls of Iifans who had turned into Heartless. The spirits filled the air with their anguished wails, swarming about Xehanort and Roxas. The black-haired man swatted futilely at the ghosts, saying nothing as each swat only brought them closer to him. Even his magic orbs did nothing to the ghosts. Scowling, he refused to meet eyes with the powerful boy in front of him, looking over at Chernabog as it slowly rose from the lava.

"Chernabog!" he cried, but he no longer controlled the corrupted entity of Iifa.

The fiery creature slammed a lava-covered hand onto the island, causing the unstable landmass to nearly capsize. When the island rebalanced itself, the lava rapidly cooled, proving to both combatants that Chernabog had weakened greatly. Xehanort could say nothing as Chernabog came crashing down on him, engulfing him in the devouring fire that died as soon as he perished. At that same time, the once hot lava pool suddenly cooled and the basin that was once there was no more.

The spirits that had surrounded Roxas all faded while Chernabog remained motionless, encased in obsidian rocks.

Slowly, Roxas raised Lost Memory and pointed at Chernabog's head. Light gathered at the tip of the Keyblade as the time finally came for Darkness to relinquish its hold on Iifa.

"Be cleansed, ancient Iifa. You have strayed from the Light for far too long," the voice of countless different beings echoed forth. Light shot from the tip of the weapon and streamed towards Chernabog continuously. The power that had possessed Roxas suddenly faded away and the boy was once again in control of his own body.

He slumped onto the ground, exhaustion making his body unresponsive. He watched with tired fascination as cracks appeared in the lava shell and white light passed through each crack brightly. Wherever the light hit the sky, clouds dispersed, letting even more light into the world. A loud explosion created a powerful gale that sent Roxas skidding across the ground before he came to a rest against a large rock. He winced slightly at the hard impact, though he couldn't feel any injuries that he might have incurred.

The largest of all the light beams hit Kingdom Hearts, causing it to slowly disintegrate as golden sparks fell from the sky, passing the boy on their way towards the slowly closing doorway behind him.

When the wind receded, he stared at a white dragon where Chernabog once lied. The opalescent scales shimmered with rainbow colors as the dragon moved, rising and spreading its wings tenderly. Iifa looked down at the seated boy with its pupil-less sky blue eyes. Slowly, it bowed down toward Roxas in reverence, silently thanking the boy for releasing it from the Darkness. Roxas only smiled in return, unable to command his own limbs to acknowledge the gratitude from the potent being. Still, Iifa didn't need the boy to acknowledge its thanks. It rose back up and flapped its wings, hovering briefly before soaring into the air.

Surprisingly, Roxas was able to follow the path the majestic creature took, squinting his eyes when the dragon disappeared into the glare of the yellow sun. He heard a resonant roar before the white dragon appeared again as it dived into the earth like it was water rather than solid ground. Where it entered the earth, a patch of green grass appeared, spreading across the black ground around him.

His eyelids drooped in exhaustion and his eyesight blurred the longer he remained seated against the large rock. He had almost fallen asleep before he saw a strange sight: shimmering figures approaching him.

At first, he thought he was hallucinating and he wished he could bring his hands up to rub at his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things. However, as the figures got closer and closer, he knew he wasn't imagining the spirits that sat down around him, that smiled at him with both happiness and sadness.

"Sora?" he breathed tiredly, leaning into the brown-haired teen's hand as he touched him. "Is it over?"

"Yes, my love," Sora answered him in a wispy voice. "It's all over. You can rest now."

"Sleep, Roxas," Naminé's voice added. "Let go."

"When you wake, you'll be home," Stella said. By that time, Roxas had fallen asleep, cocooned in the warm comforts of safety.

Gently, the three spirits lifted the sleeping boy up and began their final journey back to their world. Lilting laughter followed them with the last procession of souls on its way to the Promised Land.

With their departure, Iifa could begin its own renewal and breathe life back into its children before they had collectively forsaken the Light.

* * *

"Ven!" exclaimed Coral. "How are you here!"

"Hello, Coral," smiled Ventus. He didn't answer the obvious question, only looked over to Kairi and pointed at her wound.

Kairi looked back down at her side and goggled in amazement at the disappearance of the gash in her side. The sparks that had surrounded her quickly dispersed to join the rest of their friends around the edge of the platform. She unwrapped the bandage and found the skin to be smoothed over, not even a scar was left. Riku was just as amazed as she was.

Silently, Ventus looked back at the open doorway where more sparks continued to move out into their world. The platform shook momentarily before it gradually rose upward above the simmering volcano. Gasps sounded all around as the Keyblade wielders gazed upon the magnificent display of Light.

At the points where they left the individual Keyblades, pillars of light shot upwards into the sky to pierce the dark clouds that covered the land. When the clouds finally dispersed, a ring of light appeared in the night sky, expanding quickly to reveal a light-filled paradise.

When the platform stopped ascending, the sparks that had been circling around the platform deviated from their orbits and flew past the Keyblade wielders before soaring toward the portal in the sky. Faint laughter surrounded them as each spark passed, adding to the effervescent feeling each one of them felt at that moment.

"Soon, it'll all be over," Ventus said with a hint of regret at the journey's end. A soft smile graced his face as he gazed upward, his unfocused eyes gazing upon figures that were invisible to all but the two Chasers.

"Roxas?" Aqua asked worriedly, the previous bubbly feeling within her fading away as the reality of her brother's absence occupied her mind once again.

"He'll be here soon," the spirit simply answered. He turned to look at the doorway once again, waiting patiently for his companions.

Aqua fidgeted worriedly in her brother's arms as they waited for Roxas to emerge from the slowly closing doorway. The bubbling laughter that continued around her was not enough to assuage her fears despite Ventus the Youngest's peaceful countenance.

The man in question watched the doorway silently, smiling at the freed souls as they zoomed back into their world and frolicked their way up to the Promised Land. He knew that the others were watching him carefully, their questions unasked as long as he waited quietly. His smile grew wider when he found the trio of spirits that slowly progressed towards them with their precious cargo.

"Here they are," he said at last, breaking the wordless silence and stepping farther away from the doorway to let the others see.

"Ven!" Aqua exclaimed with happiness at the sight of the sleeping boy. She hurried over and knelt down next to the unconscious blonde before looking up in disbelief at the three spirits that had carried him.

"Naminé…" Kairi whispered, tears blurring her vision. She let out a soft sob and ran over to the dead girl, partly surprised that she was able to hug the ghost. Riku slowly walked over to the pair, trying hard not to let out his own tears in the presence of the dead Nobody. He smiled painfully when Naminé gently squeezed one of his hands.

"I'll take care of Kairi," he said gruffly.

"I know," Naminé answered with a knowing smile.

"And I'll take care of Riku too," the red-haired princess sniffed, pulling away from her ghostly love. Naminé could only giggle at her mistress's puffy face, earning her a pout from the older girl.

"Not funny," she murmured, wiping away the tear stains on her cheeks.

Terra looked at his dead sister sadly. "Stella," he acknowledged, knowing that her time there was short, as were Sora and Naminé's.

"Terra," she returned with a smile. Suddenly, Terra embraced her tightly, his frame shaking with stifled sobs. She returned the embrace gently, happy that this last meeting between them before they meet again brought closure for the red-haired man.

"This isn't good-bye," she added. "We'll be waiting for you in the Promised Land."

"It would be decades before we meet again," Aqua said quietly, turning her eyes down at the unconscious boy in her arms. She looked up to meet Sora's ghostly face smiling at her, though she could clearly see the sadness within his eyes; the pain of having to leave Roxas behind would stay with him until the blonde joined him in the Promised Land.

"Take care of him for me," he said, caressing Roxas's face and hair lovingly. "Know that Destiny Islands will welcome you all no matter what."

"It's time, my friends," Ventus the Youngest said, ending the brief reunion of friends and family. Stella, Naminé, and Sora all nodded in acknowledge and distanced themselves from their living loved ones.

"You too," he gestured to Mickey and Coral. "They're waiting."

"Welp," Mickey laughed, looking over to Coral. "We should go now."

Coral looked over at Kairi and Riku with her gray eyes before turning her eyes to the three siblings that were the bodily reincarnations of the original three. Her face betrayed no emotions until she smiled toothily at them all. "Bye."

"Good-bye," the mouse lord waved, stepping towards Ventus the Youngest alongside Coral. The two Chasers took Ventus's outstretched hands and smiled at each other as they both turned into stars and soared towards the Promised Land.

"Sora," Kairi called out. "Take care."

"You too," he grinned. "Don't do anything stupid."

The red-haired princess scoffed dramatically before laughing. "Shouldn't you say that to Riku?"

"Hey!" her silver-haired lover protested indignantly.

They all shared an easy laugh until the dead was unable to resist the pull from the Promised Land. Sora, Naminé, and Stella all waved good-bye before they turned into stars and joined everyone else from Kingdom Hearts in the Promised Land.

Only Ventus the Youngest remained as he watched the last of the dead pass from Iifa into the afterlife. He looked back down at the Keyblade wielders that remained and raised one hand. He made a motion in the air as though he were pressing on an invisible button and opened a light-bordered portal behind them.

"Your way home," he said cheerfully. "It'll take you directly to Twilight Town."

"Thank you," Terra said, stopping mid-bow when his ancestor laughed heartedly.

"No," he shook his head. "Thank _you_ for finishing what we couldn't finish all those centuries ago." He looked down at Aqua and Roxas. "Thank you for doing so much. Tell him… I'm sorry I couldn't save Sora."

Aqua shook her head. "He doesn't fault you for Sora's death. But, he will know your gratitude when he wakes up," the blue-haired woman smiled back. Ventus chuckled softly in understanding.

"Farewell," he said, looking at all of them. "Until we meet again."

He closed his eyes and shrunk into a star. The spark of light regarded them briefly and flew directly towards the still open portal to the Promised Land. As soon as Ventus the Youngest disappeared into the portal, a loud thud echoed from the doorway between the two worlds following the closing of the doors. The closed doors disappeared in thin columns of light while a flash of white in the sky severed the Promised Land from the living world with the extraordinary passing of everyone who had died to the Heartless.

Though he was unconscious this whole time, Roxas dreamed of a happy ending. He knew that one day, they will be reunited. Until that day, he will not let Sora down and rule Destiny Islands in his stead.

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: My apologies for taking such a long time to post this chapter. I know it's a long chapter, but there was no way for me to really split it up into two chapters; not when I feel slightly peeved at how long it took me to finally finish this entire fanfic._

_In any case, I can proudly say that this story has been completed now and I will be posting the epilogue in the next few days. Then I will continue to my next project or projects depending on whether I can actively follow multiple unrelated storylines, haha._

_Reference-wise, there are a few—mostly from Final Fantasy XIII. The title "Nascent Requiem" is the final boss's theme from FFXIII. Captain Rygdea is also from FFXIII. Edgar is a reference to Edgar Roni Figaro from FFVI. Besaid Islands is the starting location in FFX. The Promised Land is of course from FFVII. And finally, the entire phenomenon with the portal in the sky leading to the Promised Land is similar to the events in FFXIII towards the end of the game. You'll know what I'm talking about if you've played the game. XP_

_Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Until the epilogue, then. X3_


	26. Dearly Beloved

_To reviewers of chapter 24 and others:_

_Lionwings: On the contrary, I thought the chapter to be shorter than I wanted it to be since it did take me almost six months before I updated, haha. And I'm glad I was able to evoke some emotions at least out of one of my readers. Just means that I'm not the only sap around here (wink)._

_DarkBombayAngel: Yeah, I like Naminé. I will have to admit that ironically, she and the other Nobodies carried on the façade of Nobodies whereas Roxas abandoned his training almost entirely. Granted, he did have to take Sora's place just like Demyx did with his twin. But I'm rambling, haha._

* * *

_This epilogue is for everyone who reviewed. Thank you very much for your support._

* * *

**Epilogue – Dearly Beloved**

* * *

Time didn't seem to have any meaning for the former king, especially not for an old man like himself. Ever since he stepped aside in his reign of Destiny Islands, he had lost track of all time. All he did was live the rest of his life, waiting for the day when his existence would come to an end and he would finally be allowed to join the rest of his friends and families in the Promised Land.

His once brilliant yellow hair that caused his subjects to dub him the "Sunshine King" had faded to white long ago. Wrinkles delineated his features and betrayed his true age. Yet, the ice blue eyes remained forever sharp, missing nothing even in this advanced stage of life. He was much more susceptive to people's emotions, an irony that wasn't lost to him—after all, he had once cast away his own emotions when he was growing up.

Given his freedom to go wherever he wanted now that he was no longer the ruler, Roxas found his way through the gardens to reach the holy grounds where the bodies of past rulers were buried. The most recent one was that of Queen Mother Shizune, who had died almost twenty years ago.

The man that had taken the throne in place of Sora stood in front of the brunet's grave wistfully. The tombstone seemed so resolute, yet at the same time, Roxas couldn't help but feel as though his life since the end of the Heartless threat had been just a dream, especially during the brief moment of consciousness when Sora, Naminé, and Stella appeared in front of him. He thought that as the vessel for the power of Light, he should have perished with the complete utter destruction of Xehanort and the Nameless Key.

But no. He had woken in Destiny Islands, in Sora's bed, surrounded by friends and family. The Chasers had all passed into the next realm; and along with them, the Keyblades of the world were gone, their services no longer needed against the Heartless horde. The only Keyblades left were the ones he, his siblings, and his distant relatives wielded. Even those had gone with the passing of their masters.

He wondered what was happening on Iifa, now that the Heartless had gone from its world. Were there Iifans inhabiting that place now? Or was Iifa still recovering from the lengthy shadow?

"Gran'da!" a young girl's voice reached his ears, which had twitched in the direction of the eight year old child. He turned with a smile and raised his arms just as the black-haired girl leaped up to hug the old man.

"Shouldn't you be with your tutors, Xion?" laughed Roxas. He laughed sardonically within his mind at his granddaughter's name—Ventus the Youngest's granddaughter had been named Xion as well.

"Silly Gran'da," giggled the black-haired girl who was a spitting image of Kairi when she was her age. Her bright blue eyes sparkled happily at him under the sun. "It's Saturday! I don't have lessons on weekends!"

"Is it the weekend already?" Roxas asked, genuinely surprised how time passed, but Xion mistook his surprise as yet another attempt to tease the little girl. She giggled again and grabbed a hold of one of his knobby hands.

"Come on, Gran'da. Take me to the Kids' Island."

"I'm a bit old for the Island, Xion," smiled the elderly man. "Besides, I don't think I have the strength to row the both of us there. You're getting big!"

"Am not!" huffed Xion childishly. "Besides, I got Hayner to take us there!"

Roxas chuckled softly to himself. The said boy was his granddaughter's best friend and had been following the princess's every whim since he turned ten. Whether the relationship between the two will develop into something greater remains to be seen, but Roxas wasn't going to test their devotion to one another. They were only children after all.

"What about Pence and Olette?" he asked the child, following with mock reluctance as Xion pulled him along.

"I don't know," she shrugged nonchalantly. "Busy as far as I know." Roxas shook his head with amusement. Sometimes he truly wondered the motive behind his granddaughter's actions, but went along with her.

"Gran'da, tell me the story about the Sunshine King!"

Roxas raised an eyebrow at her request. "Haven't you heard that story a million times before?"

"Not a million times!" Xion laughed as the pair entered into the town. Two royal guards immediately followed just a ways behind the two. "Besides, it's my favorite story!"

"Well, how about I leave it until we get to the Kids' Island? It is a long story."

Xion pouted childishly, but nodded.

"I'll tell you another story while we're heading there," he pacified.

"What story?"

"The story about two brothers who switched places for love." He knew he had Xion's attention when she looked at him expectantly as they continued to walk towards the harbor. "A long, long time ago, in the kingdom of Twilight Town…"

* * *

"I'm getting too old, Hope," Roxas said, groaning as the current king of Destiny Islands helped his father sit down. "Ah, I shouldn't have gone with Xion. These bones are far too creaky for a boat ride."

The light-haired man chuckled, taking a seat near his father. "You know how much she adores you and your stories."

"Her and those friends of hers," laughed the old man. "How's court doing for you, son?"

"The usual," replied the king. "Some of these days, I don't see how I can handle it."

"That bad?" smiled Roxas.

"Especially on the days when the Midgar ambassador decides to show his face in court," groaned Hope.

"I wasn't aware Midgar's still trying to monopolize on our exports," Roxas commented.

"How long have they been at this?" the younger man asked.

"Long before my reign as far as I know," his father chuckled.

"Around when granddad was king?" Roxas frowned slightly at his son's reference to King Noctis.

"Hope," he began solemnly, "King Noctis isn't your real-"

"Grandfather, I know," ended Hope. "He's the father of Sora, the original king before you took over."

"Because he had died in the war," nodded the former blonde. "But you should know that I'm not your real father either."

"Mom told me a long time ago already," smiled the light-haired king. "You forgot the day after my coronation?"

"That was the reason why you were avoiding me? Because you found out?" Roxas queried incredulously.

"What, you honestly thought I was _that_ busy?" laughed the king.

"Good god, Serah, I thought we had agreed that we weren't going to tell him," the former ruler said aloud, looking upward as though he were actually talking to his dead wife.

"Don't blame her, dad," grinned the light-haired man. "I've always suspected that I wasn't exactly your flesh and blood."

"Oh?" Roxas raised an eyebrow in question, looking back at his "son".

"People always say how I have my mother's eyes and ears but never commented on my resemblance to you. Besides, you've never bothered passing down the Keyblade to me like Noctis did with Sora."

"You're right," smiled the elderly man, raising one hand to summon the Ultima Weapon. "I've never attempted to pass down the Keyblades, neither have any of the descendants of the Original Three."

"Why not?" Hope asked curiously, much like the inquisitive child that he once was.

"The Keyblades have been the chosen weapons of the Three since the beginning. No one besides descendants of the Original Three has ever wielded the Keyblades."

"But what about the Chasers? They've been able to wield the Keyblades."

"Yes they were able to," smiled Roxas, "only because they forged the weapon. They're no longer with us though."

"Can't there be other Chasers? I thought anyone could be a Chaser?"

The white-haired elder laughed. "The art of forging a Keyblade has been lost with the ancient Chasers, Hope. It's time for the Era of the Three to pass."

"But-" Roxas raised a hand and shook his head.

"The Keyblade is just a conduit for those of Light to battle against evil. It's only a weapon wielded by those of the Three. Light isn't going to disappear just because the Keyblades are no longer in the world. Everything has to come to an end. You'll find a way to wield the power of Light. You don't need the Keyblade to do so."

"I understand," Hope replied with a smile, accepting what his adopted father said.

"Dad, did you know of my real father?" Hope asked after a brief moment of silence.

"Only from what Serah told me. He loved her very much."

"More than you?" The younger man looked at his father expectantly. Roxas was silent, recalling his time with Sora, however short it might've seemed in his long life.

"Yes, more than me," confessed the old man softly, lost in his own memories.

"Who did you love more?" Hope asked hesitantly, almost regretting the words the moment they came out.

Roxas looked over at his son and smiled reassuringly. "It doesn't matter. The one I've loved all my life has been gone for a long time. Soon, I'll be joining him."

"Why did you marry my mother then?" frowned Hope, knowing that he had to confront his father over this issue before the man passed away.

"Her spirit reminded me of my first love," chuckled Roxas. "She was so vibrant and stubborn. Sometimes I could've sworn she was…" he stopped short of speaking Sora's name.

"She was…?" urged the younger man for his father to continue.

"Sora," confessed the old man. "That was the man whom I loved."

Hope was silent for a few moments, mulling over the bombshell of information that his father had just dropped on him.

"Makes sense," he said, breaking the awkward silence as he raised his eyebrows at his father's reddened face. "That's why you and mother never had another kid besides me… not that I'm actually your kid."

"You're still my son, Hope," smiled Roxas. "Just because Snow was your biological father, that doesn't mean you're not my son."

"Did you know… Snow?"

"Only by name," chuckled Roxas. "I wasn't exactly sociable in my days at The World That Never Was."

"When you were training to be Sora's Nobody," commented Hope.

"Yes," Roxas winced at the memories. "If only I had arrived earlier, your father might've lived." He gave the much younger man a sardonic smile. "Your father was executed for loving Serah. Somehow they knew that Serah was pregnant with you. If I had arrived any later, you might not have survived either."

"It's a good thing you got there when you did then," the king smiled. "Thanks, dad."

"For what?" The elderly man blinked at his son in confusion

Hope laughed. "For a lot of things. For saving mother and me, for being a great dad. For being frank with me about your feelings."

"Well, it was about time I told you everything," he mused aloud.

"I suppose it's time for me to get back to Dia and Xion. Wouldn't do a pregnant woman any good to leave her with a hyperactive child, right?" Roxas laughed in agreement.

"Hope," he called out as his son approached the open door. The king stopped and turned to look at his father.

"Yeah, dad?"

"Come to the Kids' Island tomorrow." The two men looked into each other's eyes and the unspoken words were well understood. Hope's eyes softened with sadness.

"I understand, father," he said reverently. "Should I make arrangements?"

"Do it tomorrow," Roxas said peacefully. "And don't tell Xion. She's too young to understand."

"Of course, father."

"I love you, son."

"I love you too, dad."

"Good night."

* * *

The white full moon shined down from her perch in a cloudless sky. While the majority of the islands slept on, a lone rowboat moved across the calm sea slowly, bearing a single traveler.

The winds were calm as the boat traveled across the ocean surface. A faint melody could be heard from the traveler; his humming interrupted at intervals by the oars paddling across the water.

It took the man well over an hour to reach his destination, needing to take many breaks to catch his breath. He chuckled upon reaching the Kids' Island, amused at his advanced age and how weak he had become since the heydays of his prime. At his feet, upon the dampened wood, was a silver ring—a token of his presence as the passenger of the small yet sturdy rowboat.

Still, he was able to disembark at the wooden dock, even with the boat rocking underneath his feet. He didn't bother mooring the boat; only watched it drift away from the island.

"Farewell, little boat," he said, waving at the wooden vessel; if there were other people there, they surely would've thought him mad. "May you find your way back to the main island."

With another amused laugh, the elderly man pulled his coat tighter around him. He shivered as the cold wind suddenly swept inward, causing waves to spray onto the dock and crash violently upon the darkened white sands.

With a groan, he stepped off the wooden dock and onto the beach, smiling as the sound of sand giving way to his feet met his ears. He walked towards the bend Paopu tree that has remained a constant in his long life, undying in his eyes.

It was under a similar night that he first brought Serah to the Kids' Island after they had arrived at Destiny Islands. She had wanted a place to be away from people and he knew that the Kids' Island was the best place. He remembered the awe in her voice when she saw the simple beauty of the island.

The more he thought back on it, it seemed so surreal, so absurd that the two of them sat upon the bent Paopu tree for hours on end, spilling out their hearts to one another. They shared stories of their past, the memories of their departed beloveds, and the mutual pains of their lives training to become Nobodies.

He could hear her carefree laugh at seeing him like a normal person rather than the Nobody she's known him. He could hear her laugh again when he pointed out that she never seemed to have been a Nobody.

"That's because I was never a Nobody," she had answered with a smile. It was the same answer that Naminé gave him.

They stayed sitting on the Paopu tree way after the white full moon had set and a new day was just about to dawn. It was then that he had brought up the issue of marriage. He didn't know what prompted him to make such a suggestion—he knew it wasn't pity for her and her unborn child; it simply felt right at the spur of the moment.

His proposal had taken Serah completely by surprise; after all, they didn't really know each other until that evening, until their lengthy conversation that literally opened the doors to their own souls.

Roxas had taken her initial silence as a hint that he had stepped too far with his proposal and thus began babbling in a way that Serah didn't think was possible with the man who had been considered to be the perfect Nobody. In fact, she was so unused to Roxas stumbling over his words that she was absolutely speechless until she realized he had taken her silence as a "no".

Though she realized that he needed someone who understood him, she knew that he needed an heir for the future of his kingdom that he never asked for, but she was still uncertain. She needed him to be candid with her.

"Why me?" she asked.

Roxas knew that he couldn't have possibly asked Naminé, especially since the other Nobody had died for Kairi and Riku at the End of the World. Even if she had lived, he knew he didn't have the heart to ask such a monumental sacrifice from her, not when her heart belonged to her mistress and the silver-haired prince of Twilight Town. He couldn't be so cruel as to keep her away from the ones who she deeply loved.

From his answer, she knew that both of them needed each other. Their individual losses of their own loves were something they shared in common. Neither one went into this pact without understanding that Serah loved the father of her unborn child much more than the man with whom she would share the rest of her life with. Conversely, Serah understood that Roxas only had love for the brown-haired prince who had brought him back to life, the one who had doggedly believed that there was a heart behind the emotionless front even when all the Nobodies had believed the trainers succeeded in achieving the impossible with Roxas.

They went through the same ceremonies of engagement and marriage as hundreds of kings and queens had gone through before them. They did their mandatory rounds around Destiny Islands as a married couple; no one knew of their pact to one another.

Roxas summoned the Ultima Weapon, the last Keyblade still in existence, and threw it tip down into the sand. He gently set himself down at the roots of the bent Paopu tree and leaned back against the trunk with a sigh.

"I'm getting too old for this," he said to himself, wincing as he cracked his back in this cold weather.

"Was it okay, Sora?" he said to no one. "Was it okay to see Serah as you?" No matter how many times he asked, Sora never answered back; he wondered if Sora even knew he's asked him that.

"Are you ready, my old friend?" he looked at the weapon that stood in the sand. "Are you ready to leave this world behind and reunite with your master?"

The elderly man stared into the distance, at the nearly invisible horizon where the dark night sky met the dark sea. "Yes, I think it's time."

He pulled the edges of the coat closer together and yawned, letting his eyes close for one last time under the full moon.

For several minutes, the man and his weapon remained immobile in their respective positions, the only movement that occurred came from the sea breezes that tenderly swept across the beach, ruffling the old man's hair and making the sand shift ever so slightly. Roxas seemed to be so peaceful in his sleep that no one can even pinpoint when exactly he died that night.

The Ultima Weapon swayed with the wind that shifted the white sands. Before it toppled over from another soft breeze, it disappeared one last time in a flash of white light that left sparks hanging in the air before they disappeared as well.

Roxas's head lulled to one side and his hands fell open next to his body on the sands. The tinkling sound of dainty metal filled the air before the keychain for the Ultima Weapon disintegrated into sparks of light, flying upward to join the hundreds of stars in the sky.

Thus ended the era of the Three, the era of the Keyblades.

* * *

The following morning, the port workers on the main island would be treated to the strangest sight they've ever seen.

The small rowboat that had bore their previous ruler to the Kids' Island had made its way back to the main island, floating next to the royal dock amongst the large galleon ships. Yet, it was not moored to the dock, not even following the current that usually sent ships out of port. It was as though the little rowboat had a mind of its own, and it was waiting, waiting for its next rider.

And the only one it was waiting for had his hands full at the castle.

As Hope's father had predicted, Xion panicked when she couldn't find her beloved gran'da in his room that morning despite waking up earlier than usual just to bug the old man. Both Hope and Dia knew that Roxas had gone to the Kids' Island, but the king wasn't sure if he should bring the child to see her departed gran'da; after all, Roxas had instructed him to not tell her. He tried to calm the child down, but the princess somehow knew something was wrong and refused to be assuaged by her parents' words.

"Take her with you," Dia said resignedly at long last. "She has to know."

Hope was silent for a brief moment, unsure that it was the best course of actions, but he came to the same realization that Xion will know regardless, it was better to let her know sooner than later.

"Come on, Xion," he said, making a move to pick up the eight year old child. "We're going to go find Gran'da."

"I'm a big girl now, dad!" she said childishly with her fists on her hips and a pout on her face, her concern for her gran'da temporarily forgotten. Hope smiled and held out one hand to let her hold it.

"Where is Gran'da?" she asked eagerly as she followed her father out of the castle and into town.

"Kids' Island," answer the king simply.

"Why is he there? He's too old to go there by himself," the child said intuitively.

"It was the place where he first proposed to your Nana, Xion," Hope answered. "He went there to remember Nana."

"But he can do that at home." A frowned appeared upon the girl's face but her father had chosen to ignore it.

"Yes," Hope answered almost absentmindedly. "But he can't be with Nana at home," he ended softly.

"Your Majesty!" a young man ran up to them, stopping just short before the royal guards behind the king and the princess stepped forward to stop him. He quickly bowed with a half-kneel and stood up straight. From the outfit, Hope deduced that the man was a dockworker with his flowing white shirt, baggy pants, and a tri-cone hat—a traditional part of any seafarer's effects.

"What is it?" the king inquired.

"You must come and see this," the man replied promptly. "There is a small boat at the royal pier, unmoored."

Hope raised an eyebrow at the information he was given.

"It hasn't been swept out to the sea."

Now, that grabbed all of the pale-haired man's attention. "Show me," he said simply, following the gracious worker towards the royal pier. True enough, a small rowboat sat in the water just a foot away from the wooden dock, the single rope that should've anchored the boat to the dock dangled from one side of the boat into the water. The two oars sat in the rowboat patiently, as though simply waiting for their designated passenger.

"Where was this boat before?" Hope asked the master of the docks while his daughter found a silver glint shining back at her.

"No one knows, sire," the man answered. "It was here long before the first man had arrived on the docks."

"Surely some sailor must've seen it," frowned Hope.

"I'm sorry, your Majesty, but we haven't been able to find such a witness." Hope bit down a sigh of annoyance just as Xion tugged on his hand.

"Daddy, look!" she exclaimed, pointing at the shining silver in the boat. The pale-haired king narrowed his eyes before stepping across onto the boat, surprised that the vessel didn't topple over or move away from the dock. His eyes widened with realization, telltale signs that the king knew who had been on the boat.

"Dad?" the girl questioned, watching him closely as the man picked the signet ring up.

"It's Gran'da's," he answered, showing the girl the signet ring that Roxas had been wearing since his wedding day. Xion quickly leaped onto the boat, snatching the ring from her father in worry.

"Gran'da used this boat to get to Kids' Island!" she exclaimed. Hope nodded, sitting down and manning the oars.

"Inform Queen Dia of what has happened," he ordered one of his guards, who saluted him with a "Yes, Sire" before marching back towards the castle. Without sparing another word to the master of the docks, Hope began rowing towards Kids' Island, noticing that the boat was moving faster than his oars were taking them.

"Xion, sit down before you fall over," Hope warned grimly when the girl leaned against the front of the boat with the ring clutched within her hands as though she believed that it would make the boat go faster.

The girl fidgeted nervously before obeying her father's command, her eyes falling upon the silver signet ring in her hands. The crest of Destiny Islands was engraved on both sides of the ring, faded with time. The single sapphire that sat upon the silver ring remained surprisingly clear, showing no signs of having been worn for decades.

"Is Gran'da alright?" Xion asked fearfully, her fingers closing around the ring tightly in prayer. Hope could find no answers for her.

It was a torturous fifteen minutes upon the calm sea even with the mysterious force that propelled them along. But at last, they reached the Kids' Island. Hope didn't even get a chance to moor the boat before Xion jumped out into the water, running onto the beach whilst shouting for her beloved Gran'da. Her eyes searched wildly to places that she used to go to when she was on the Island but there was no familiar sight that greeted her.

"Xion," Hope said, catching her attention. She found her father pointing towards the distant right where the bent Paopu tree was upon a platform of sand enclosed by wood. The glimpse of white with the soft ocean breeze was proof that someone was there—and that someone was Roxas.

"Gran'da!" she screamed, tears blurring her vision.

"Wait, Xion!" Hope reached for the child but she had already reached the wooden bridge, running across it to reach the still body of her beloved grandfather.

She stared down at the old man, a peaceful countenance forever etched upon his elderly face marred with wrinkles and a deathly pallor. He didn't seem dead at all, only appearing to be slumbering peacefully against the main feature of the Kids' Island. But Xion knew that he was not sleeping at all.

Hope quickly caught up to the child, a look of acceptance upon his face. He laid a hand on his daughter's shoulder, attempting to comfort her while she stood frozen. She let out a soft sob and reached for her grandfather, hugging his cold body tightly. With confirmation of his death, the black-haired child cried in despondence.

It was the first death that she's ever known after all.

* * *

The sound of a girl crying met his ears.

"_Don't cry. He's with Nana now."_

"Hope?" His son's voice and the crying slowly faded away.

"_It's all your fault, you know."_

"Huh?" Roxas asked, feeling only warmth that surrounded him. It was so comfortable that he wanted to just keep on sleeping.

"_Making Xion cry like that."_

"What? I made Xion cry?" The familiar voice was something that he hadn't heard in a very, very long time.

He heard a woman giggle. "_Honestly, Roxas. How could you let Hope try and keep the fact that you've died from Xion?"_

"Serah?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. He still wasn't quite ready to open his eyes to see what sight might meet his vision.

"_Oh, come on, Roxas. Wake up already."_

The blonde slowly opened his eyes, seeing a clear blue sky and a bright yellow sun shining down on him. He blinked a few times, noticing the feeling of cool grass tickling the back of his neck.

He sat up and looked down at himself, finding himself dressed in a black shirt, white baggy pants, and a short-sleeved white jacket. His hands were not knobby and wrinkly like he remembered for so long. When he touched his own face, he was mildly surprised at the fact that he had returned to his younger days.

"Finally," laughed a familiar voice from his right. "And here I thought you were never going to show up!"

Roxas turned towards the source of the voice and found himself staring at a heart-shaped face framed by spiky brown hair. It was a face that he had not seen for decades in person.

"Sora!" he exclaimed, embracing his long-lost love. Tears of joy streamed down his handsome face and he tightened his hug, savoring the presence of the brunet who was very much tangible to him.

"It's been a long time hasn't it?" Sora asked tenderly.

Roxas sniffed and wiped his eyes as he pulled away. "Yeah."

"You've changed," the brunet smiled.

"You should've seen him in the beginning," another voice joined them behind Roxas. The blonde turned to find a pink-haired woman sitting on her knees with her true love next to her.

"Serah!" the blonde exclaimed again, hugging her warmly. His wife on paper laughed as she returned the embrace, patting Roxas on the back.

"Careful, Roxas," she teased with a smile, "You're going to make Sora jealous."

The blonde pulled away with a scoff. "When I can do this?"

The brown-haired teen was absolutely surprised by his love's boldness, gasping when the yellow-haired man captured his lips in a passionate kiss. He drank in the love that Roxas had poured into the act and moaned softly. At its conclusion, Sora almost didn't want it to end with his face flushed red. He touched his lips in disbelief, but there was no doubt in his mind that the once emotionless teen did indeed kiss him with such passion that made him weak at the knees.

"God, Roxas. Did you want an audience?" he asked. Roxas only snickered, choosing not to comment on the innuendo behind the words.

"Not that you don't have an audience already!" a familiar voice giggled behind Roxas; the voice that he recognized as that of Kairi.

The blonde stood up from where he lied on the grass and turned around to find a group of people who had been waiting for his arrival. Familiar faces met his ice blue eyes, all smiling.

Terra, Aqua, his own parents, Stella.

Riku, Kairi, even Naminé had a smile upon her face, her hands holding Kairi's own lovingly.

Axel, Larxene, Demyx, Zexion, the Nobodies—no, he corrected himself, they're personal servants of their aristocratic counterparts—those who he knew during and after his training.

Mickey, Coral, and the rest of the Chasers, who he met in life and on Kingdom Hearts.

The rulers of Nibelheim and Macalania: Tifa, Cloud, Aerith, and Zack.

Yen Sid, Lord Rasler, Lady Ashe. Roxas was glad to find the denizens of Kingdom Hearts all safe and had passed into the next realm upon the complete separation of their own world from that of Iifa.

And finally, the three people to whom he and his own siblings look eerily similar to. Terranu, Aquaria, and Ventus all were present.

The original Three smiled at him, even Ventus the Youngest, for they were finally at peace with the ending of their time, the ending of their lines upon the world that they worked so hard to keep safe.

"Welcome to the Promised Land, Roxas," Ventus greeted the newly arrived. Roxas returned the smile gladly.

He turned to look at Sora, taking the brunet's hand in his own lovingly.

"I'm finally home."

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and associated characters, places, items, etc. I wish I owned Sora, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Naminé, etc. etc. of course. But I don't, so don't sue me._

_A/N: Yeah! Finally completed! Hooray! Again, thank you all for your wonderful support and for waiting patiently as I got the last couple of chapters out. A happy ending for all!_

_Final references to be made of course. Hope, Serah, and Snow are all characters from Final Fantasy XIII. Dia is a reference to Oerba Dia Vanille, also from Final Fantasy XIII. I chose to take her clan name instead of her first name (Vanille) namely because she's technically supposed to be called Vanilla, at least in the Japanese version she's called that. But Vanilla is such a silly first name that I just ended up using Dia instead, haha._

_Hope you all enjoyed this lengthy story, one that I never thought would take me over three years to complete, but I'm glad it's done now. I'm not sure I will be working on _The Intrigues of Sora Kazano_ next; frankly, my interest in _Suzumiya Haruhi_ has waned. But we shall see._

_Until my next story, this is Tsukisamu Sayako signing out._


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